Monday Bird Droppings: O's in it to win it

A split with the cellar dwelling Rays ahead of a crucial four game turn against the division leading Red Sox is hardly the sort of thing that gives the weary Orioles fan comfort at this time of year, but maybe it should? With Sunday's win, the Buck O's have secured the second longest streak of winning of seasons in modern franchise history. Billy Hitchcock and Hank Bauer helmed four straight winning squads that included a World Series winner in 1966 and of course, Bauer, Weaver and Joe Altobelli led the O's on a magical run from 1968-1985. That being said, today's O's are three games out of first in the division and a game up on the Blue Jays in the wild card race. ESPN gives the Orioles the best playoff odds of any team in the AL that is NOT leading its division (74.5%).

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