4 days ago
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Orioles players, coaches and personnel funneled into the clubhouse after an 11-inning tussle with the Tampa Bay Rays, each donning bright orange shirts with “Take October” plastered across the chest. Manager Brandon Hyde lifted his hat slightly up off his forehead with a sigh of relief and raised a Budweiser in his right hand to address the plastic-wrapped room.
“Wouldn’t have done it any other way today,” Hyde said of the Orioles’ 5-4 win that doubled their lead in the American League East and came soon after the Texas Rangers’ loss solidified the organization’s first trip to the playoffs since 2016. “Absolute grind. So proud of you guys this whole year.”
With each word out of the fifth-year manager’s mouth, another bottle of champagne popped in anticipation of a moment this team has longed for. “The first step,” Hyde said. And again, “This is the first step,” as each b...
