Showalter on the win and travel issues facing the Orioles

The Orioles completed a four-game sweep of Texas and a 7-4 homestand with their 5-2 win over the Rangers. They moved a season-high seven games over .500 at 46-39.

Now for thier next trick, they need to get to Boston in time for a 1:35 p.m. game on the Fourth of July.

Not as easy as usual for the Orioles over the next few hours as manager Buck Showalter revealed after tonight's game.

"So many dynamics with a 1:30 game tomorrow," Showalter said. "Weather issues there. Right now, the earliest they even think they can get a plane here is 2 a.m. Seeing if we can get permission to fly tomorrow. We are even looking into trains, buses are 8 1/2 hours to Boston. So we've got some issues. Seems like we've had a lot of them this year with our air travel."

Earlier, the Orioles thought their charter flight would be ready to leave for Boston much sooner than that. Now they are looking at a 2 a.m. departure.

"At the earliest," Showalter said. "Pittsburgh to New York and then if they can even find pilots and people that aren't over their limit of flying for the day. That is what I was dealing with before I came down here."

Is Showalter sure the Orioles will even get a flight over the next few hours?

"I don't expect anything right now. I'm assuming the position and going down there and see if can fly for wings or something. I could say a few things, but I'm not going to," he said.

Whenever they get to Boston, the O's will do it coming off their first four-game home sweep of Texas since Aug. 6-9, 2004.

Wei-Yin Chen gave up two runs and six hits over six innings to get the win tonight.

"He was OK," Showalter said. "Seems like a lot of his better outings are directly correlated to some depth on his breaking ball. Sure, they are reading some of same stats with left-handed hitters this year. The sweeping one has some depth to it, which gives him some other pitches to defend himself with. Real crisp last inning that was good to see.

"Darren (O'Day) was really solid again. Thought Jonathan (Schoop) played a great second base tonight. The double play he turned, not many people turn that double play."

Steve Pearce went 4-for-5 tonight with two doubles, two stolen bases and two RBIs. It's a new career high in hits for Pearce, who is now batting .338.

"Stevie, running out of things to describe him. Let you guys do it. He's centering up a lot of balls right now. One of those things, don't overcoach. Just get out of the way and try not to talk to him," Showalter said.

Showalter said the Orioles were preparing for the possibility of facing Scott Baker and not Yu Darvish tonight, and that is what happened as Baker got the start.

"We're fortunate to catch Texas with a lot of people hurt," Showalter said. "Lot of pitchers hurt. They are a challenge enough as it is, but they have some people hurt."

So the Orioles have played the last four games with a 24-man roster but they are 4-0 in that stretch.

"It is so hard to win a four-game series (or) three out of four in the major leagues," Showalter said. "Guys kept a real intensity level through the rain delay. Not knowing whether we were going to play or not.

"You know, Ryan (Flaherty) had another good night for us. Of course, Stevie has picked us up. What you want to have is kind of forget that Matt (Wieters) is not here and Manny (Machado) is not here.

"Our guys don't talk about it a whole lot. Here's a game and an opportunity to shine and do something a lot of people don't think you can do. Our guys, it's not a real topic of conversation."