The Orioles won last night, which was great because man would that have really sucked if they lost that game. But they're in a position now where winning one game doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot if they don't win the next one too. They have yet to win consecutive games in August. That's how you end up on the outside looking in.
To finally break that streak of futility, they will need two key things to happen. The first is that they will need to not suck against Chris Bassitt, who shut them out for seven innings back in Oakland only 11 days ago. Maybe they'll have an easier time against Bassitt in the friendly confines of Camden Yards. Maybe they'll do better since they've DFA'd a bunch of people since then. I don't know.
The second thing they need is for Miguel Gonzalez to have a good game. That hasn't happened all that often this year, and it's been one of the problems for the team. He is capable of doing better. A whole lot of the team is capable of doing better than they are, but so far they just haven't been, and that's why they're only two games over .500.
"Only" two games over .500? Can you imagine how many years earlier this century we would have loved to have a team that was two games over .500? All up until everything changed in 2012, as a matter of fact. This is not some sad-sack franchise that barely squeaks above loser territory any more. There are expectations now, and this squad is not meeting them. They can change all that with one easy step - just win, baby.