CHEN MUSIC: Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen shows the strain of giving up three runs in the seventh inning last night as Baltimore manager Buck Showalter comes out to pull him from the eventual 5-3 loss to the Rays that pushed the Birds a game behind the Yankees in the AL East. (AP)
ST. PETERSBURG — Buck Showalter sat on the Orioles’ bench before the game and offered this bit of baseball philosophy.
“It’s a cruel sports world,’’ the former Yankees manager said. “You are getting in that time of year where, for the first time since February, a game that could be played where there is a sense of finality to it.’’
That game is lurking for the Orioles.
While the Yankees were beating up the Dead Sox, 10-2 last night, the Orioles ran into the buzzsaw that is the Rays pitching staff and wound up with a critical 5-3 loss at Tropicana Field, falling one game behind the Yankees in the race for the AL East with two games to go.
Destiny is no longer in the Orioles’ hands. If the Yankees can put together two more wins against the depleted Red Sox, the Orioles cannot catch them and Baltimore will play Friday’s do-or-die wild-card game. There is no room for error now for the Orioles.
Showalter knew the Yankees would have a big game last night.
“They’re playing at home the last three games, you know that’s a given,’’ he said. “We have to take care of ourselves.’’
He also had heard through the baseball grapevine that Dustin Pedroia was injured.
It has been a crazy two days for the Orioles. The team charter had to be diverted Sunday night to Jacksonville because of problems with a microwave oven and smoke in the galley. After being checked out, the plane took off again and landed at St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport around 11 p.m.
There was a champagne toast at the team hotel for making the postseason for the first time since 1997.
“We said a few words and then everybody got to bed,’’ Showalter said. “I think everybody was disappointed they couldn’t share it with the fans, but now the goal is to figure out a way to play more games at Camden Yards.’’
That goal is tougher because Alex Cobb pitched seven strong innings for the Rays, allowing one run. The Rays scored three times in the seventh. The rally started because rookie Manny Machado committed an error on Evan Longoria’s grounder to third.
Machado, a shortstop who has saved the Orioles with his fine play at third, admitted the turf at the Trop played differently than he expected and he should have taken a few more grounders during batting practice to prepare. Little things mean so much this time of year.
Also, Adam Jones rolled his ankle running the bases, but in Derek Jeter-like fashion said he is fine.
“We didn’t take care of our business,’’ Jones said. “When it comes to the Yankees, we can’t control them.’’
Former Yankee Kyle Farnsworth surrendered a two-run home run to Chris Davis in the ninth. Two more Orioles reached base against closer Fernando Rodney, but Rodney took control. He struck out Jim Thome and Mark Reynolds, then got pinch-hitter Endy Chavez on a comebacker to pick up his 47th save.
The Athletics’ 4-3 win over the Rangers last night eliminated the Rays, who have won 11 of 12, and the Angels in the wild-card race.
For the Orioles, on the other hand, the bottom line is they are in the postseason.
“They did it,’’ Buck said of his players. “It’s all about them. They were relentless in their pursuit and still are. They raised the bar about what they wanted to do here.’’
The Orioles are without Nick Markakis, who is out with a broken left thumb after being hit by a pitch from CC Sabathia on Sept. 9. Doctors will wait another week to take the pins out. Then he will be in a splint.
“We’re talking about a minimum of three weeks [without] Nicky,’’ Showalter said. “That Sabathia fastball did a lot of damage.’’
Showalter is holding out hope that Markakis will play again this year.
“We know what, three weeks from now, what is happening in baseball, so we’ll keep plugging,’’ he said. “There are a lot of bridges to cross.’’
The road gets more difficult and fascinating each day.