If the O's win the AL East, their in-division record will loom large

The standings say that with their 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays last night, the Orioles moved 1/2 game ahead of the Yankees for the division lead. The Orioles (82-60) have 20 games left to play and New York (81-60) has 21.

But a real separator is each club's American League East record, the games within the division. The Orioles have a 7 1/2 game lead in that record within a record.

After their ninth win in 11 games this year against Tampa Bay, the Orioles are 29-15 in AL East games. New York is 22-23. Big difference. 

Here are the records of the teams in division games in 2024 and the Orioles are the only club over .500.

.659 - Orioles (29-15)
.500 - Boston (18-18)
.489 - New York (22-23)
.435 - Toronto (20-26)
.415 - Tampa Bay (17-24)

The Orioles, in going 9-2 versus the Rays, outscoring them 54-25 in those 11 games, will post their best-ever single-season record against Tampa Bay. Even if they lose the next two games, the O's will finish 9-4 (.692) against the Rays.

Their best previous records against Tampa Bay came in 2006 and 2016 when 13-6 records produced a .684 win percentage. The O's were 12-6 against the Rays, playing .667 ball, in 2005.

So no O's team will win at a percentage against Tampa Bay that the 2024 Orioles will. We just await two more results for the final mark.

In addition to that sparkling record versus the Rays, the Orioles are 6-4 against the Yankees, 7-3 against the Red Sox and have finished 7-6 versus Toronto.

They are 8-2-3 in 13 series within the division, losing series only to New York and Toronto. 

Baltimore pitchers had a 2.22 ERA this season against Tampa Bay, even before pitching a shutout Friday night. Their ERA for the year in all AL East games was 3.28 heading into last night, when they pitched their second shutout in three games and ninth for the year.

The Orioles are now 4-1 the last five games with a 2.20 ERA and two shutouts.

Six days after taking a shot his right forearm that seemed to have him heading to the injured list, righty Dean Kremer took a no-hitter into the seventh last night. He allowed two hits and no runs over six-plus innings.

Over his past five starts, Kremer has four quality starts, going 3-0 with a 2.96 ERA. He has allowed one run or none three times, allowing 22 hits and nine runs over 27 1/3 innings.

Bullpen righty Yennier Cano pitched out of a bases-loaded, no outs jam in the seventh to save the day for the Orioles, who got three scoreless innings from their bullpen.

Over the past 14 games, the O's 'pen has a 1.88 ERA, allowing one run or none 11 times.

Right-hander Seranthony Domínguez has become the clear closer at this point, and he picked up his ninth save and eighth with Baltimore last night. In 17 O's games, he is 8-for-8 in save chances with a 2.76 ERA, .183 batting average against and 0.92 WHIP.

The Orioles are now 4-1 this month, have won eight of their past 13 and are 24-22 in the second half.

Gunnar Henderson made two errors late in the game and has 23 errors on the year. He hit his 36th homer in the sixth inning to provide a 2-0 lead. It was his third homer in the last four games and he has seven in the past 22 games. He has hit 11 in 43 AL East games.

The O's host Tampa Bay today at 4:05 p.m. and right-hander Zach Eflin (10-7, 3.60 ERA) will face his former team. The team he pitched seven innings of one-run ball against at the Trop on Aug. 9.

Eflin is 5-0 with a 1.95 ERA and 0.959 WHIP in his five Orioles starts. Over his past three he is 3-0 with an 0.90 ERA.

If the O's have another well pitched game versus the Rays today, they will add on to their season-long success when playing within the AL East.