BOSTON _ Impossible as it might be, no one would think twice if the Orioles simply asked for their season to end on this note, a near-perfect 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday night.
There are still two games left, the threat level of which might be low considering the hosts looked like they were playing in flip-flops with the offseason so close.
But with so much that deservedly will be forgotten as this team tries to get back to respectability, a night where it all went according to plan and all the positives of the season were on display is worth remembering.
Asher Wojciechowski, the pick of the heap when it comes to the Orioles' midseason pitching acquisitions, finished strong with six innings of four-hit, scoreless ball.
Austin Hays singled twice off flamethrower Nathan Eovaldi and added a walk and a stolen base in the win. Renato Nunez hit his 30th home run of the season after sitting on 29 for nearly three weeks. Trey Mancini and DJ Stewart each walked a career-high three times.
Throw in scoreless innings for Tanner Scott (two strikeouts) and Mychal Givens (three strikeouts), plus a one-run ninth from Richard Bleier, and the Orioles improved to 53-107, with Friday's outcome seldom in doubt.
