:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60563891/454398064.0.0.0.jpg)
The Orioles won their 81st game of the year last night and it wasn't even a big deal. It's still amazing, but it wasn't this grand thing worth celebrating like it was when they won that many games two years ago. There is no streak of losing years to break. There's only a streak of winning years to continue, and, hopefully, a streak of playoff appearances to begin.
To get to win #82, and to get to a magic number of 15 or lower, the Orioles will have to complete the sweep of the Reds on Thursday night. They don't really do sweeps in either direction, Chicago adventure notwithstanding. It's hard to sweep. But if ever there was a night to sweep, it'd probably be the one where the Reds start out with all of Billy Hamilton, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce on the bench.
Orioles starter Chris Tillman is working on a streak of 16 straight games where he has allowed three or fewer earned runs. If he allows as many as three to this Reds offense he should probably feel ashamed of himself. Still, Reds starter Mike Leake is no slouch either. There probably won't be much of a margin of error to work with.