The Baltimore Orioles have won close games all season, so their 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night was hardly a surprise.
The real surprise came later when the Yankees rallied from behind to defeat the Red Sox, keeping Baltimore one game behind in the division with only one game left to play.
"We're not supposed to be here. So just go out and have fun and see what happens," closer Jim Johnson said to the Associated Press. "You have to win those games," he added. "If you're able to keep it close, you just try to find a way."
According to ESPN.com, the Orioles improved to 29-9 in one-run games on the season.
Baltimore was able to defeat the Rays in spite of a record performance from Tampa pitcher James Shields, who had 15 strikeouts in the game, the most in franchise history. Chris Davis hit a home run in his sixth consecutive game for the only run the Orioles would need.
Rookie Miguel Gonzalez started for the Orioles and pitched 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. The bullpen was stellar for the Orioles, as they have been all season, combining to throw 2 2/3 innings, giving up n hits and striking out two.
Johnson pitched the ninth inning for his league-leading 51st save.
The only run of the game came in the fourth inning off of Davis's hot bat. He smashed the ball 445 feet and "joined Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson as the only Baltimore players to homer in six consecutive games," according to ESPN.com.
"It kind of blows my mind to even be mentioned in the same breath as Reggie, but it's more about the win than anything else," Davis said. "I'm kind of glad to be the guy that's coming through in this situation, but as long as we get the win I don't care."
Shields was stellar throughout the game, making only one mistake that cost the Rays the game.
"I hung a changeup. He's a pretty good hitter. I think that was probably the farthest home run I've ever given up in my career," Shields said. "I sent the bat boy over and told him to tell him, 'Can you hit it any farther?' Just joking around a little bit. He said something like, 'I'm sorry. I'll go and try and hit it 480 feet next time.' I thought that was pretty funny."
Shields was on a roll for most of the game, setting down 11 batters in a row before the home run.
"I knew this was my last game and I wanted to let it all hang out. I wanted to end on a good note, end on a bang," Shields said. "That was probably the best game of my career."
Shields only gave up two hits in the game, Davis's home run and a single to Nate McClouth in the sixth inning. He pitched all nine innings for his third complete game of the season.
"He made one mistake, and fortunately Chris was on it," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said.
The Orioles have already clinched a wild-card spot, but are still alive in the American League East division race. The Yankees won 4-3 in 12 innings on Tuesday, keeping their one game lead, but they lose on Wednesday and Baltimore wins, the two teams will face off in a one-game shot to see who wins the division.
The Yankees play the Red Sox on Wednesday night and will start Hiroki Kuroda against Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Orioles will start Chris Tillman against Tampa's Jeremy Hellickson.
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