After dropping two of three at home to the Colorado Rockies, marking just their second home series loss of the season, the Orioles packed their bags for their one-game makeup in Minnesota on Thursday night followed by three games in Toronto against a Blue Jays team nipping at their heels in the American League East.
The Orioles are just 21-26 on the road entering their unusual four-game road trip.
They originally had a day off Thursday, but will now make up their May 9 rainout at Target Field with a one-day trip to Minnesota.
"This isn't an ideal situation, but it's one we're going to have to go through," Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo said. "Hopefully, we'll make the most of it, come out, play hard tomorrow, pick up a win."
Since the All-Star break, the Orioles are averaging just 2.77 runs per game. They scored just seven in three games at home against Colorado and averaged just two runs per game on their most recent road trip, a seven-game swing to face the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.
Asked if the Orioles are hitting some midseason fatigue, manager Buck Showalter said, "We're well past that. … I think this is game 100."
"Yeah, of course, everybody is [tired]," Showalter said. "[Colorado's] a team that's one of the best statistical teams in baseball that scored three runs tonight, and that's part of it. You know, we fought through it. It's hard to keep the pace that we were at.
"Our pitching's been better, and we've been in more games. That's why we have a lead in our division right now because we've had other parts of the game pick it up."
Their series in Toronto will be important. The Blue Jays are trailing the Orioles by just two games, and the Boston Red Sox are just behind them, 2½ games back.
The Orioles lost three of four on their last trip to Toronto last month. But the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre might be the best thing for the Orioles offense, particularly Chris Davis and Adam Jones, who have the most homers there of any opponent since 2012.
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