Calling the Pen: Sweepless in St. Louis has viewers rooting for a happy ending

Sleepless in Seattle is a timeless classic that features a reporter from Baltimore falling for a widower in Seattle whose son is trying to help his dad find love again. Sweepless in St. Louis is running out of time after the Orioles lost, 3-1, to the Cardinals in the continuation of Tuesday night’s suspended game. It features reporters from Baltimore who haven’t written about the Orioles losing a regular-season series since catcher Adley Rutschman arrived on Preakness Day in 2022.

The streak of at least two games without being swept is at 106 going into Wednesday’s regularly scheduled game in St. Louis.

The 1942-44 Cardinals are the team that holds the sweepless streak record at 124. The Orioles have set the American League mark. The 1906-1909 Chicago Cubs also have a longer streak at 115.

I sort of dismissed the streak after the Orioles’ splendid 2023 season, which featured 101 wins and an American League East title, came to a crashing end in the playoffs when they were swept in three games by the Texas Rangers, who went on to the win the Word Series.

When coverage of the regular-season streak continued at the start of this season, I considered it more of a note than an accomplishment. But as it hangs by a thread as former Oriole Kyle Gibson pitches against John Means, I’d like to see it continue as it did in Washington when the Orioles pulled out a dramatic 12-inning victory after dropping the first game of a two-game series.

Last Wednesday, Rutschman hit a two-run, ninth-inning home run to give the Orioles a 3-2 win and give the streak more life.

It represents resilience and consistency, although the Orioles’ hitters are suddenly showing a lack of the latter. Manager Brandon Hyde criticized the number of bad at-bats after Monday’s three-hit effort in a 6-3 loss. The ineptness continued at the plate in the second game against the Cardinals, which was spread over two days.

I liked the tender ending to Sleepless in Seattle, even if I saw it coming. It’s hard to know how Sweepless in St. Louis will turn out. The Orioles will do their best to make it a Hollywood-type ending.