Mayo’s big blast powers Orioles to uplifting win over Yankees, 3-2

BALTIMORE—A week ago, the Orioles concluded a humiliating four games at Yankee Stadium, losing the final game 12-1, and ending the long weekend outscored by 39-10.

For six innings on Monday night, the Orioles seemed headed for their 10^th straight defeat to he Yankees with starter Ryan Weathers no-hitting them.

In the seventh, Adley Rutschman singled to right for the Orioles’ first hit. After Pete Alonso grounded to second, Tyler O’Neill worked a nine-pitch walk that included a near-miss home run. Brett Headrick (3-1) relieved Weathers.

Coby Mayo, who hadn’t had an RBI since April 24^th and grounded into a double play the last time he faced Headrick, blasted a home run to left field, sending the Orioles to an exciting 3-2 win over New York before 23,160 at Camden Yards.

While Weathers was shutting down the Orioles, Brandon Young was keeping his team in the game, yielding just a two-run home run to Ben Rice in 5 1/3 innings. The bullpen did the rest.

Dietrich Enns (1-0) allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings and stranded a runner at third, Rico Garcia threw a spotless eighth against the heart of the Yankees’ lineup, striking out Rice, getting Aaron Judge to fly to right and striking out Cody Bellinger.

It was Garcia’s 10^th straight hitless appearance at home to begin a season, setting a club record.

Anthony Nunez struck out Jazz Chisholm to start the ninth. Ryan McMahon then launched a deep fly to right that was caught by a leaping Tyler O’Neill at the base of the wall. Paul Goldschmidt singled, and José Caballero came in to pinch-run. He tried to steal second after Nunez had twice thrown to first. Rutschman made a strong throw and second baseman Blaze Alexander extended his left arm to tag the jersey of Caballero, who tried to avoid the tag and was initially ruled safe. He was called out on a replay review, ending the game and giving Nunez his second save.

The Orioles (19-23) have won consecutive games after losing eight of 10, thanks to Mayo’s fourth home run—his third three-run homer.

“Coby works hard, he cares a lot, and for him to come through right there was huge – for him, for us,” manager Craig Albernaz said.

Weathers walked leadoff batter Taylor Ward, then retired the next 13 batters until Mayo walked in the sixth. Mayo was the designated hitter, replacing Samuel Basallo, who was scratched with left knee discomfort, which was related to his collision at the plate with the Athletics’ Carlos Cortes on Sunday.

Mayo didn’t know he was going to play until about an hour before the game.

“Got to always stay ready,” Mayo said. “In this league, no one cares how late they told you, they don’t want to hear any excuses. Alby told me, ‘Got to get ready, got to prepare.’

“We faced him last week so — well, we faced Weathers last week and I faced the reliever last week, too. You’ve just got to stay ready. Struggling, not struggling, you have to turn the page, new day.”

After Mayo walked, Leody Taveras grounded to first baseman Ben Rice, who tagged first and threw to second. Mayo, who paused momentarily between first and second, slid into second and was spiked near the right knee by shortstop Max Schuemann.

Young gave up the two-run home run to Rice, his 13^th, in the third. In 5 1/3 innings, Young allowed the two runs on three hits, walking three and striking out five.

How hard has this season been for Mayo? With Jordan Westburg hurt, Mayo has had an extended opportunity to play third base this season, and he’s hit just .165. He knows he has a support system.

“Family, got to rely on my girlfriend, my dog,” Mayo said about his golden retriever, Fin. “The dog doesn’t know I made an error. He doesn’t know I struck out four straight at-bats or whatever it was. This game does a lot to the mentals and can have a lot on our minds going to sleep at night, putting our heads on the pillow.

“As much as guys want to flush it, sometimes it’s tough to when you leave the field. So I think sometimes you need the people in your corner. My dog loves me, so it doesn’t matter what happens. He’s always going to be there for me, too.”

How big was O’Neill’s walk? O’Neill nearly tied the game against Weathers with a long foul to left field. After that, he came back and worked out a walk.

“That was one of the most gangster at-bats I’ve seen,” Albernaz said. “Being able to hit a home run hooking foul and then be able to lock it back in and work a walk to kind of set up everything.”

O’Neill, who’s hitting just .179, struck out in his first two at-bats.

“It’s no secret I’m grinding a little bit right now,” he said. “Just trying to get in the box, get comfortable and see the ball well. Weathers had a heck of a game out there. Just try to battle, man.

“Just really try to battle, battle the best I can out there. He was making pitches all night. Just missed one later in the game, but, you know, no problem passing that baton to Coby, and it was awesome to see him come up clutch, and what a great swing that was.”

O’Neill was busy in right field, making five catches, including a diving catch of a line drive by Judge in the third. The McMahon catch stood out.

“It was hit pretty well,” he said. “Really high in the sky. I just tried to get back to the wall at a reasonable pace. I had some time to square it up and got up a little bit, enough to catch it.”

What does it mean? It’s only one game, but it’s always great for the Orioles to beat the Yankees.

What’s the word? “It feels like I’ve been in that spot a lot over the last three seasons since I’ve been up here and haven’t come through much, as much as I wanted to. That was a spot where when I did come through, all that emotion came out and it just felt really good.”–Mayo on his home run.

What’s the stat of the day? 1-9. The Orioles won a game started by a left-handed starter for the first time this year.

What’s next? The Orioles have not announced their starter to face Will Warren (3-1, 3.46) on Tuesday night at 6:35.

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