On August 30, it’s too early to classify any game as a must-win. But it certainly would have behooved the Orioles to pick up a W in Cleveland tonight, knowing that all their wild card competitors, facing patsy opponents, were likely to make their move in the postseason race.
Instead, the Orioles gave one of their most listless performances in the past few weeks, getting thumped by the Guardians, 5-1. Their pitching success from the Houston series didn’t continue, but their inability to score runs sure did, an ugly all-around combination that kicked off their three-game series with a whimper.