Sugano delivers strong performance ahead of trade deadline in Orioles’ 5-1 win over Rockies

BALTIMORE–What happened? Tomoyuki Sugano threw one of his better games of the season on Sunday. The question is: Will it be his last as an Oriole.

With Thursday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline approaching, Sugano allowed Warming Bernabel’s first major league home run in the second inning, and that was it. In six innings, he gave up the single run on four hits, striking out eight, equaling his season high in the Orioles’ 5-1 win over the Colorado Rockies before 16,401 at Camden Yards.

Dylan Carlson’s two-run single off Austin Gomber (0-5)  in the second and Tyler O’Neill’s sixth home run in the third gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead.  O’Neill homered in each of the three games this weekend.

Sugano (8-5), who posted a 7.88 ERA in his previous seven starts, turned in his most effective start since June 3^rd.

He said after his last start he wanted to stay with the Orioles. It’s the 35-year-old right-hander’s first year playing in the U.S.

“It’s obviously my first time,” Sugano said through his translator. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I just look at it day-by-day and work on the things that are in front of me.”

Yennier Cano allowed two walks and struck out one in the seventh. Andrew Kittredge gave up a hit in a scoreless eighth.

The Orioles (47-58) added a run in the bottom of the eighth when Gunnar Henderson scored from second on a wild pitch from Jaden Hill, who failed to cover home plate when catcher Austin Nola chased after the ball.

“Running hard to third and then I saw where the ball kind of stopped at that brick wall behind home, it’ll sometimes kick off, but it was kind of dead in there and then the pitcher was not covering home, so I felt like I was going to beat him there, and I did,” Hendeson said.

Henderson was on second on a wild throw from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar allowed him to move there after a force play.

Seranthony Domínguez pitched a scoreless ninth.

What’s the difference with Coby Mayo: Mayo doubled in three at-bats and scored on Carlson’s single. He homered on Friday night and had a two-run double on Saturday night.

His average has climbed to .217, and Mansolino said the 23-year-old has made an adjustment.

“I’m just trying to stay on my back side a little bit longer,” Mayo said. “Not try to jump so much at the ball sometimes. I think I get into trouble when I do that, and I think I’m seeing the ball a little bit better. Making better swing decisions. Just a little bit of that contributes a lot.”

Mayo appears farther back in the box.

“I think that gives you a little bit more time,” he said. “Maybe subconsciously I feel like for some guys you might need a little bit more, and sometimes you get jammed, you might subconsciously give yourself a little bit more space. But it’s not anything I’ve tried to do. Maybe it’s just something subconsciously you just get into the box, maybe you need a little bit more space. But, yeah, it’s interesting.”

What’s new with the trade deadline? The Orioles made no moves on Sunday, and players are wondering what will happen next.

“Definitely a new experience for me, because the past two years, we’ve obviously won a lot more games,” Henderson said. “Definitely a new experience. It’s a weird one, because obviously, don’t know who, when or if. It’s just kind of a crappy situation. Just got to go out there and continue to try to win ballgames. That’s all you can do in this situation. Hope nobody leaves, but the reality of it, somebody probably will.”

Interim manager Tony Mansolino thinks Sugano is a desirable commodity, especially after watching him on July 10^th against the New York Mets when he allowed three runs on four hits in six innings.

“If you watched that Mets start, I’d take him. In a heartbeat,” Mansolino said.

Injury updates: Kyle Bradish will make his second rehab start on Tuesday for Double-A Chesapeake. Tyler Wells will make his first start for the Baysox on Wednesday.

Adley Rutschman and Keegan Akin have completed their rehab assignments for Triple-A Norfolk and are expected to be activated on Monday.

What does it mean? The Orioles have won three of four and beat the lowly Rockies in two of three games but should have beaten them on Friday night when they lost, 6-5, after hitting four home runs in the first two innings.

What’s the stat of the day? O’Neill has homered in three straight games for the first time since September 2021.

What’s the word? “Players love him. He is so well-liked in that room. The players mess around with him, he messes around with his teammates. He’s done it very gracefully.”- Mansolino on Sugano.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Ryan Mountcastle doubled twice and drove in a run. Emmanuel Rivera hit his first home run and drove in three, and Vimael Machin drove in three as Norfolk beat Lehigh Valley, 10-4.

Chesapeake lost to Altoona, 6-1.

High-A Aberdeen’s game with Winston-Salem was suspended in the bottom of the third with the IronBirds trailing 2-0.

Single-A Delmarva’s game with Lynchburg was postponed by rain.

What’s next? The Orioles open a four-game series with the American League East-leading Toronto Blue Jays. Zach Eflin (6-5, 5.78) will face Chris Bassitt (11-4, 3,88). Game time is 6:35 p.m.

Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com