It hardly felt like a playoff chase inside Yankee Stadium on Friday, with the Orioles playing under a constant rain and stubborn wind before a sparse crowd in the Bronx.
But these Orioles brought their own energy to New York, moving one step closer to a postseason berth with an 8-1 victory anchored by three homers into the dreary night.
With the win over the Yankees, the Orioles took control of the American League wild-card race with two games remaining in the regular season. They lead the Toronto Blue Jays by one game for the top wild-card spot and the Detroit Tigers by 1 1/2 games.