For Orioles, two runs a day help stop Jays from pulling away

The Orioles' magic number is two.

That's all the runs they ever get.

And often all they ever need.

They required 14 innings to meet yesterday's quota, and actually they cheated, scoring their first run last night, and their second early this morning.

What can we say when Brady Anderson goes 0-for-6 and is named HTS Player of the Game? When the pivotal hit is a double-play ball that ricochets off the opposing pitcher's derriere?

Orioles 2, Royals 1.

And the pennant race continues.

"The offense did its job," manager Johnny Oates said, trying to keep a straight face. "We got enough."

Yep, the Orioles just pounded those six future Hall of Famers who pitched for the Royals: Luis Aquino, Juan Berenguer and Rusty Meacham, Steve Shifflet, Mike Magnante and Bill Sampen.

It's a miracle they're still only four games behind Toronto. They've scored only 18 runs in their last nine games, and more than one run in only two of their last 85 innings.

But who's counting?

By the time this one ended at 12:02 a.m., mass delirium had set in. Anderson's game-winning sacrifice fly scored pinch-runner Steve Scarsone -- after winning pitcher Storm Davis struck out the side in the top half and nearly lost the game.

We kid you not.

With two out, Gregg Jefferies reached first when catcher Chris Hoiles failed to catch strike three. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, then was stranded after an intentional walk.

Passed ball, wild pitch, intentional walk.

The Orioles would kill for such a rally.

"At that point, I was looking to see if there was a moon in the sky, or a black cat running across the field," Oates said.

Actually, something even stranger happened: At 11:55 p.m., the Orioles announced that the remaining fans with standing-room tickets could sit in the lower deck -- at no extra charge!

Meanwhile, in the Orioles' dugout, Rick Sutcliffe kept needling the hitters. At one point, he grumbled, "All I heard in spring training was that if we get any pitching . . ."

"He was looking for a bat in the 13th," Oates said, smiling. "He was saying, 'I can do this, and I haven't hit in two years.' "

Sutcliffe was kidding, but the pitchers won this game. Arthur Rhodes looked magnificent working into the eighth. Todd Frohwirth pitched four shutout innings, Jim Poole threw 87 mph and Davis improved his record to 6-2.