NEW YORK (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles are headed to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since the 1990s, clinching no worse than a wild-card berth with a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night combined with Minnesota’s loss to Miami.
Baltimore (87-70) has only a remote chance of overtaking the Yankees (92-65) for the AL East title. The Orioles trail by five games with five games left but hold the tiebreaker after clinching the season series Tuesday.
Coming off their first AL East title since 2014, the Orioles started 23-11 and were 55-31 before play on July 3 but have gone 32-39 since, slowed by a series of injuries. The Orioles had topped the division alone for 62 days and opened as much as a three-game lead.
Baltimore’s pitching staff lost Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells to elbow injuries that led to operations. Grayson Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since July 31 because of a lat problem.
Two players returned Sunday: All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg had been out since July 31 because of a broken right hand, and third baseman Ramón Urías since Aug. 31 because of a sprained right ankle.
First baseman Ryan Mountcastle was activated Tuesday after missing a month because of a sprained left wrist. Second baseman Jorge Mateo has been sidelined since July 23 with a dislocated left shoulder.
Baltimore was knocked out in the AL Championship Series in 1996 and ’97. The Orioles were swept in the Division Series last year by Texas, which went on to its first World Series title.
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