If the Orioles are fated for better than mediocrity, games like Sunday's illustrate how they'll get there. No longer are the Orioles able to rely heavily on their stars, at least not so far this season. They need every ounce of production from every spot they can find.
Sunday's 8-5 comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Rays to earn a series win at Tropicana Field was mostly about the blossoming stars and bit-part players on their roster, not the established All-Stars they've spent all year waiting to come around.
"That's what makes good teams great, it's that we have our star players and our big-name guys and they're going to do their part," said left fielder Joey Rickard, whose ninth-inning double broke a 5-5 tie.