BALTIMORE - Don't expect to see the Baltimore Orioles lay down this weekend.
Boston is in town to wrap up the regular season, with the Red Sox having already earned a playoff spot by winning the AL East. They were two games ahead of Oakland, the AL West champions, for the AL's best record going into Friday's game. That means their series with Orioles carries importance in terms of home-field advantage in the ALCS.
Baltimore could be forgiven for resting starters and skipping pitchers in its rotation, but from the looks of things that's not happening.
"There's so much personal pride on this team, I think it's more of a competitiveness," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter. "They know that Oakland's counting on us. We've counted on teams this year and last year. Oakland and Boston have both cashed their ticket, they're in. It's just a matter of how in are they down the road.
"It's an envious spot to be in for them. I think we owe it to everybody to put our best foot forward. Fortunately, we're physically able to do that."
Adam Jones and Chris Davis each had days off this week, but they were both in Friday night's lineup, along with usual starters such as J.J. Hardy, Nick Markakis, Brian Roberts, and Matt Wieters.
Showalter said if Sunday's game is still meaningful, he'll stick with scheduled starter Chris Tillman.
The Orioles aren't going to the playoffs, but there's still something to play for, Showalter said. Just like they did in 2011, when they hosted the Red Sox in the regular-season finale and knocked them out of the playoffs with a come-from-behind win that garnered national headlines.
"We're going to play a game at 7:05 and we're going to compete," he said. "And it's all hands on deck. We did it two years ago and we're going to do it again. It has nothing to do with trying to rain on somebody's parade. It's just compete, and do what's right. Usually when that's the challenge, to do what's right, our guys do that."
GOING FOR IT: Davis and Detroit's Miguel Cabrera were tied Friday for the major-league lead in RBIs at 137, and Davis currently holds the fourth-best season total in Orioles history. Davis trails Miguel Tejada (150 in 2004), Rafael Palmeiro (142 in 1996), and Jim Gentile (141 in 1961).
Davis is trying to become the second Orioles player to lead the major leagues in RBIs. Tejada did it in 2004.
According to Elias, there have been 38 players in big-league history that have led the majors in home runs and RBIs in the same season.
SAVE ME: Jim Johnson is the first Orioles pitcher to post two 40-save seasons, and despite his struggles this year he's leading the league in saves. Dan Duquette, the team's executive vice president of baseball operations, said he expects Johnson to be back in 2014.
Johnson came into the 2012 season with 21 career saves; since then he has 99 (entering Friday's game) and is a free agent after this year.
"Jim Johnson is one of our core players," Duquette said before Friday's game. "Jimmy has done something historic in terms of the number of games he has saved over the last couple years. He has established significant value by doing that in consecutive years."
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