Orioles refusing to look beyond today's game (O's down 5-3)

NEW YORK - Ben Werthan, the Orioles' coordinator of advance scouting, stepped inside manager Buck Showalter's office at Yankee Stadium prepared to formulate a plan on gathering information on potential opponents in the postseason.

Showalter values Werthan's work, often citing his contributions and the degree of difficulty in executing the duties attached to the job. Short notice, expanded rosters, etc. But Showalter wasn't ready to divert his focus and peek down the road.

"Ben came in talking about advancing some things and whatever and I just gave him the hand," Showalter recalled. "I said, 'Ben, there will be a time to talk about that, I hope, but right now, not going there.'"

The Orioles still are trying to ascertain where they're going after the Bronx, their fate firmly in their hands. Keep winning and it's home for the wild card game.

Showalter isn't on an island by himself. The entire organization is taking the same approach, no matter how clichéd that it sounds. Werthan was just determining how to proceed.

"Everybody is," Showalter said. "Players, they get asked and have to talk about it, but I've been very impressed with this group.

"The advance meeting yesterday, we had a short one because we play the Yankees 700 times this year, we got to the end, 'Anybody got something to add, anything throw out there.' Somebody said something and I said, 'That's why I don't add anything, because I know you guys have got it.' They know what's going on."

Kevin Gausman knows that he's starting on Sunday unless the Orioles already clinch and Showalter decides to save him.

"It could change," Showalter said. "It's moving parts, a lot of moving things, but our guys are all about this nine innings and we'll see where things are after that."

Mark Trumbo said he was "kind of loosely aware" that the Orioles could clinch tonight, but he added, "I'm totally focused on the task at hand today."

"I feel like one definitely needs to come before the other," he said. "I think if we can take the same approach that we've had basically this entire week, it's going to suit us best probably."

The philosophy of taking care of business has been preached for months.

"It has to be. It has to be," Trumbo said. "The other stuff is definitely a reality and people are aware of it, but I think it's somewhat of a distraction possibly. It's a real nice thing if things shake out the way we're hoping, but we've got to go out there and get it done."

The possibility exists that the Orioles could clinch late tonight while gathered in front of a television checking the Blue Jays and Tigers scores. There are no plans to hang in the clubhouse with bottles of champagne in hand.

Clinching away from the field will seem strange, especially to players who weren't on the team charter in 2012.

"I guess to degree, but I think we'd probably take it either way just the same," Trumbo said. "But all these scenarios are pretty reliant on us going out there and doing it and hopefully that's what we can accomplish."

Today's game started on time. No tarp and no rain, the field in much better condition. It's overcast, but dark clouds are preferred over precipitation and large puddles on the warning track.

"It was quite soggy out there," Trumbo said. "I think it's a testament to how nice this field actually is that we were able to get that game in.

"It was a situation where we really wanted to get it in schedule-wise. At the end of the day I think the mentality is you just know it's an even playing field for both sides. It's definitely not ideal. It's far from it. But they're having to go through the same thing. You

Trumbo met the challenge with a two-run homer in the fifth inning.

"There are a number of things that are borderline compromised," he said. "There's your vision at the plate, your grip on the ball, defense, your footing. You saw Mike (Bourn) make a sliding catch and slip and slide. You can laugh at that stuff afterward, but in the meantime you don't want those things to cost you and I think we did a really nice job of maybe slowing things down a little bit on the field and making sure what we needed to do."

Update: Michael Bourn's two-out, two-run single in the second inning gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead.

Trumbo led off the inning with a double and Chris Davis walked with one out. Both runners moved up on Jonathan Schoop's tapper in front of the plate.

Update II: Manny Machado homered wtih two outs in the third inning to increase the lead to 3-0. Machado has 37 home runs on the season, the latest going to the opposite field on an 0-2 count.

Update III: The Yankees broke through in the fifth on Tyler Austin's RBI single with one out. Wade Miley has thrown 80 pitches.

Update IV: The Yankees reduced the lead to 3-2 in the sixth on Chase Headley's RBI double and tied it in the seventh on Tyler Austin's leadoff home run. Showalter will be second-guessed for leaving Miley in the game.

Update V: Romine singled off Brad Brach in the eighth to drive in two runs and break a 3-3 tie.