NEW YORK - It ends tonight. The stretch of games that could have been merciless, that could have devoured them and spit pieces of a broken team, finally ends tonight.
The Orioles will make it out with all their limbs intact. Their arms can be raised, their feet can dance. Not only were they competitive, they were largely successful.
They can do no worse than split the 16 consecutive games against playoff teams, which included an ominous West Coast trip and an extended series on the sacred grounds of Yankee Stadium.
Last night's 4-3 victory over New York made the Orioles 8-7 during a trial period that began on May 21 in Oakland. A forecast littered with storm clouds might keep them there. Or maybe they'll tackle former teammate Mike Mussina, the Yankees' scheduled starter tonight, with the same vigor as in these games.
It began with two victories in Oakland, the first coming in 14 innings after the Orioles mishandled a three-run lead in the eighth. Travis Driskill, a rookie at the not-so-tender age of 30, picked up his first major-league win that night while pitching in relief. Who dared to predict that two more would follow for him, both as a starter?
Driskill accounted for the only win in Seattle before the Orioles split two games at home against Oakland and four against the Mariners. They rallied from 4-0 and 5-0 deficits to defeat the Athletics and Mariners, and scored twice in the ninth off Seattle closer Kazuhiro Sasaki, who had known nothing but perfection this season, for another improbable victory.
The Orioles headed to New York still trying to understand how Sunday's 7-1 lead turned into an 11-8 defeat. It was the kind of momentum killer that seemed especially ill-timed with the Yankees awaiting them. But rather than experience another Bronx bummer, they are assured of at least breaking even here, with the chance to do much better.
"In that stretch, there were some games we should have won we haven't and a couple we won that we shouldn't. Given where we're at and where we want to go, it's been a good stretch for us. Rewarding in a lot of instances and disappointing in some instances, too," said manager Mike Hargrove.
Seven of the games were decided by one run, with the Orioles winning five of them. Another victory came by two runs, and two losses by three runs.
It wasn't long ago that the Orioles ran head-first into a similar stretch of games and snapped like twigs.
Last September, as another fourth-place finish was softened a little by the sentiment of Cal Ripken's retirement, the Orioles went 1-11 against Oakland and Seattle.
They were swept on the road by both teams, with the Mariners outscoring them, 22-2. A season filled with low points had produced another valley.
No wonder 8-7 looks like the tip of Mount Everest.
"You play teams like Oakland, Seattle and the Yankees as many times as we have, to have a chance to come out with a winning record says a lot about this ballclub," Hargrove said. "But we still have a long way to go."