WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Baltimore Orioles dug themselves such a deep hole in the first two months that every game feels more important than a typical regular-season contest.

The Orioles have no margin for error . That means losing two straight games to the Athletics - the American League's second-worst team that entered the weekend having dropped 20 of its past 22 games - is almost untenable.

When Orioles starter Charlie Morton allowed four runs in the first inning Saturday night, it could have washed away all the positive momentum this team carried with it after winning its sixth straight game Thursday. A month ago, this game would've devolved into just another embarrassing loss in one of the most ignominious seasons in Baltimore baseball history.

But this might not be the same

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