2014 Orioles match the 2012 Birds in wins, plus other notes

With their 93rd win last night, the 2014 Orioles matched the 2012 Orioles. The current club has eight games left to make a run at 100 wins.

The last O's club to win 100 or more games was the 1980 Orioles, who went 100-62 - and missed the playoffs.

The Orioles have five 100-win seasons in club history and this team still has a shot at one.

It is looking now like Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez are lined up to pitch the first two games of the American League Division Series. Tillman is expected to pitch again Friday on an extra day's rest and that would line him up for Game 1 on Thursday, Oct. 2. Gonzalez pitches today, could go again on an extra day next Saturday and then again on the following Friday in ALDS Game 2.

Nothing has been announced, but that is the way it looks at this point.

Last night, Tillman surpassed the 200-inning mark for the second straight season. It is the 10th 200-inning season by an Orioles pitcher since 2000, with Tillman joining Jeremy Guthrie (2011, 2010, 2009), Daniel Cabrera (2007), Rodrigo Lopez (2005), Sidney Ponson (2004, 2000), and Mike Mussina (2000) as well as Tillman's 2013 season.

The 2014 Orioles are the third club in a row to hit 200 or more homers, something done eight times in club history:

* 257 in 1996
* 214 in 1998, 2012 and 1985
* 212 in 2013
* 211 in 1987
* 203 in 1999
* 202 in 2014

This is the first time in team history the Orioles have hit 200 or more homers in three straight seasons.

Adam Jones had hit just one homer over his last 26 games and 102 at-bats and then connected twice last night. It was his sixth career multi-homer game.

The Orioles are now 7-2 on this homestand with a team ERA of 1.84.

Over the last four games, the Orioles have scored 24 runs and hit eight home runs.

The O's bullpen has an ERA of 1.23 over the past nine games.

The Orioles will announce the 2014 Most Valuable Oriole today as voted on by the local writers and broadcasters.

This is how I voted: Nelson Cruz first, Jones second and Zach Britton third.