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| The Orioles packed a punch Wednesday to break a mini-funk. (US Presswire) |
Next week at this time, the regular season will be concluded, but as things currently stand, this thing is far from over in many races.
Full Wednesday scoreboard with recaps and box scores for every game
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Orioles power: The Orioles entered the game having lost three of four games, but any thoughts that they were cooked were blown out of the water Wednesday. The Orioles won 12-2, but the power display was what was most impressive. They hit a club-record-tying seven home runs, including two each from Manny Machado and Chris Davis. Also, Jim Thome homered, meaning he homered in the same game as Machado -- who wasn't even born yet when Thome made his major-league debut. Also, the Orioles' slugging percentage for the game was .944. So they almost averaged one base per at-bat in the entire game. That's pretty tough to do with 24 outs.
Andy Dirks, Tigers: Dirks was 2-for-4 with an RBI, but that's not why he's in this space. He's here because of something that didn't show up in the box score. The Tigers took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth and would go on to win by that same score. The go-ahead run scored on a play that reads like this in the play-by-play log: "Peralta reached on fielder's choice to third, Kelly scored, Dirks out at second."
Again, you can't see what he did from that. Dirks busted his butt to get to second base and when Royals second baseman Irving Falu went to make the turn on a would-be inning-ending double play, Dirks took him out. It was a good, clean baseball play, and it enabled the go-ahead run to score. And don't look now, but the Tigers now have a one-game lead in the AL Central over the White Sox.
Matt Kemp, Dodgers: He's struggled mightily since the middle of August, but Kemp went nuts Wednesday to the tune of 4-for-5 wtih a double, homer, two runs and four RBI in a Dodgers win. With the Cardinals loss, the Dodgers moved to within 3.5 games of the final NL wild-card spot, though there are only seven games to play.
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White Sox pitchers: They gave up nine hits and six runs in a 6-4 loss to the Indians, but that's not really the worst part. No, that would either be allowing 12 walks -- one of which forced in the tying run -- or Brett Myers coughing up an insurance home run to Vinnie Rottino.
Martin Perez, Rangers: The A's had their way with Perez in the first inning, and that's all we saw of the rookie left-hander. He only lasted 2/3 of an inning and coughed up five runs on six hits. The Rangers are still in control of the AL West, but the lead has shrunk to three games and they play the A's four more times. If Texas doesn't watch out, this could get serious.
Cardinals offense: It would take quite the collapse to not make the playoffs at this point, considering the Cardinals have a 3.5 game lead with six games to go. Still, why mess around? They were shut out by Bud Norris and Wilton Lopez as the Astros moved their record to 51-105. 
Getting tight out West: As mentioned above, the Rangers lead the Athletics by three games in the AL West. The two clubs have four games left against each other, so the Rangers better win at least one to make sure things don't get serious. Thursday would appear to be a good chance. All-Star Matt Harrison (17-10, 3.17) gets the ball for Texas while Travis Blackley (5-3, 3.48) starts for Oakland. 2:05 p.m. ET
Different directions: As the White Sox have stumbled and now fallen a game back, their schedule gets significantly tougher. They now face a red-hot Rays team that comes in sporting a seven-game winning streak. We'll be blessed with a good pitching matchup in the series opener, too, as James Shields (15-9, 3.65) squares off against Jake Peavy (11-12, 3.40) in U.S. Cellular Field. 8:10 p.m. ET
Dickey goes for 20: Not since Frank Viola in 1990 have the Mets had a 20-game winner. R.A. Dickey (19-6, 2.66) -- a 37-year-old who had previously never won more than 11 games in a season -- will be shooting for No. 20 Thursday in Citi Field. The improbability doesn't stop there, however, as Dickey could become the first knuckleballer to ever win a Cy Young. If he wants to do so, he needs a great outing Thursday, because he's facing a Pirates team that has been awful for the past five weeks. Kevin Correia (11-10, 4.11) is Dickey's counterpart. 1:10 p.m. ET
Thursday's probable pitchers
• All-Latino Team: MLB.com put together its all-time Latino Team and it's quite the impressive lineup. How about an outfield of Roberto Clemente, Reggie Jackson and Ted Williams (his mother was Mexican)?
• Latos' big change: Reds starting pitcher Mat Latos has been great since the middle of June. As Fangraphs.com points out, things really locked in for Latos once he drastically cut down on throwing his changeup.
• Dunn, not done: Adam Dunn is back to his old self this season after a disastrous 2011 campaign in Chicago. The final quote in USA Today's story on him sums it up: "You know what's a great feeling?" Dunn said. "Just to feel normal again."
• David Simon on the Orioles: For those who haven't had the pleasure of watching it, HBO's drama "The Wire" is one of the best shows in TV history, in my humble opinion. All you need to know for this blurb is the show is set in Baltimore. Creator of the show, David Simon, writes "Down to the Wire" about the Orioles in an upcoming Sports Illustrated cover story. (insidesportsillustrated.com)
• Been there, done that: The Rangers won't celebrate clinching a playoff spot before it's decided whether or not they win the division. For example, the Nationals clinched a playoff spot last week, but still haven't clinched the NL East. The Rangers won't do that. Star-Telegram.com has the story.
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