The Baltimore Orioles swept the Detroit Tigers to advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1997. Here are five keys for them to beat the Kansas City Royals and advance to their first World Series since 1983.

1. The starting pitching needs to continue to exceed expectations.

The Orioles' rotation, often considered a question mark, began to be noticed around the league during the second half. The starting staff finished fifth in the AL with an ERA of 3.61. Its FIP of 4.18 (ranked 14th), however, suggests luck and defense played a large part in that top-five ERA. Regardless, the Orioles' starting pitching was better than the Tigers' in two of three ALDS games. With a bullpen as strong as theirs, the Orioles are a tough team to beat when their starter outpitches his counterpart.

2. The bullpen needs to continue to be one of the best in baseball.

Zach Britton had 37 saves during the regular season. Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Expect to see a heavy dose of Andrew Miller, Darren O'Day and Zach Britton during the series. And why not? All three were among the top 22 AL relievers in terms of fWAR in 2014. Miller led all relievers (40+ IP) in K/9, and Britton led the same group in ground ball percentage. If a starter falters, Kevin Gausman will be on call to hold down the fort, just as he did in Game 2 against Detroit.

3. Ryan Flaherty must continue to play a solid third base.

The Orioles' defense at the hot corner has been shaky since losing Manny Machado to knee surgery. Flaherty, who is the best defensive option in Machado’s absence, was one of the players who had his share of troubles. In the ALDS, though, Flaherty did a lot to ease the nerves of Orioles fans, handling all 10 of his chances, a couple of them spectacularly.

4. Buck Showalter needs to continue to outmanage his counterpart.

Whether it was going to setup man Miller in the sixth inning of Game 1, pinch-hitting Delmon Young in Game 2 or even putting the potential winning run on base in Game 3 that set up the series-clinching double play, Showalter pushed all the right buttons in the ALDS. While he sometimes bucks convention with his decisions, you can never fault him for not thinking things through. He is as well-prepared and thorough as any manager in the game. Managerial decisions may not end up being a big storyline in this series, but it's hard to imagine a scenario where Showalter is outmanaged by Ned Yost.

5. Adam Jones needs to have an MVP-type series.

Jones had only two hits, both singles, in 11 at-bats during the ALDS. In his postseason career, Jones is just 4-for-37, with none of those hits going for extra bases. The sample size is small, so this isn't a knock on Jones or any sort of claim about his "clutch" ability. Nonetheless, the Orioles' path to the World Series will be significantly tougher if their best player doesn’t perform offensively.

Patrick Holden writes for the Camden Depot blog that covers the Orioles.