Basallo celebrates clutch 2-run homer in Orioles’ thrilling 5-3 win over Royals

BALTIMORE–What happened? Samuel Basallo waited for several seconds at home plate, hoping his drive to right field would stay fair. It stayed fair, and it put the Orioles in front and the fans in a frenzy.

Basallo’s two-run home run, his 15^th, scored Pete Alonso in the eighth inning and carried the Orioles to an exciting 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals before 26,993 at Camden Yards on Friday night.

He celebrated the home run off left-hander Matt Strahm with an emphatic two-handed bat toss toward the Orioles’ dugout, a smile across his face. Basallo had one home run and two RBIs in 68 previous at-bats against left-handers this season.

“Just trying to see the ball and hit the ball there,” Basallo said through a team translator. “I know I haven’t been going too well against lefties lately, but just trying to put the bat on the ball there, and thankfully, that one went out.

“I enjoy every home run that I hit to the maximum. I don’t do those reactions to inconvenience anyone or anything like that. I’m just really enjoying the game. I enjoy every homer that I hit. I’ve always been that way since I was a kid. I’m really just out there enjoying the moment with these guys, enjoying that we can go out there and have fun and get the win.”

Oriole starter Brandon Young looked as if he might have pitched well enough for the win, but Isaac Collins homered to lead off the eighth tie the score, 3-3. Young allowed three runs on eight hits in seven-plus innings, throwing 85 pitches.

Manager Craig Albernaz called on Rico Garcia (4-1) after Young yielded the homer, and he retired the three batters he faced in the eighth. Andrew Kittredge pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many days, his third of the season.

Michael Massey doubled with one out. Salvador Perez fouled out to catcher Adley Rutschman, and Josh Rojas struck out to end the game.

Strahm (3-2), who marked 10 years of big league service time on Friday, was the fourth Royals (38-57) pitcher.

The Orioles (44-51) scored two runs on four singles in the second. Dylan Beavers and Blaze Alexander scored on two-out RBI singles by Jackson Holliday and Gunnar Henderson against Luinder Avila.

Alexander hit his fourth home run in the fourth for a 3-2 lead.

“I hit the ball hard,” Alexander said. “I know I don’t have too many homers, but I hit the ball hard, I can press the ball, and just trying to put together good at-bats, man, find the barrel, and usually good things happen.”

Jac Caglianone, who has accepted an invitation to participated in Monday night’s Home Run Derby in Philadelphia, hit his 15^th home run in the fourth. Rojas’ RBI double tied it, 2-2.

How important has Basallo been? The 21-year-old Basallo continues to play well in his first full season in the major leagues, and he’s impressing his teammates.

“Tremendously,” Young said. “Just looking back last year he debuted … I mean, I played with him in Bowie and Norfolk, but to see him here, kind of have a little better approach up there, and not trying to necessarily be the hero every time, but like just trying to make good [at-bats] and wait for a mistake, just like he did tonight. So it was huge. He came up and picked me up. He picked up the team.”

Alexander enjoyed the moment, and Basallo’s reaction.

“That was awesome,” he said. “Honestly, I had a weird view of it. I was still down in the tunnel, so I saw the ball come off the bat, and, obviously, the crowd erupted, and I see him with his hands right here [raises hands], and he just threw the bat.

“I was like, ‘All right, something sick happened.’ That was awesome, man. That’s just the kind of player Sammy is. Lefty on left, doesn’t matter. Two-run homer, game.”

Albernaz has seemingly been asked about Basallo more than any other player this season, and he finds new ways to compliment him.

“I keep on saying with Sammy, the sky’s the limit for him,” Albernaz said. “And these at-bats he’s having, especially hitting behind Pete all year, it’s been really impressive. Strahm, he has a pretty good track record, and it’s a tough at bat for a lefty and Sammy did a great job of getting a good pitch to hit but also being able to keep that ball fair is really impressive.

“His at-bats … I know he didn’t get the results he wanted, but great plate discipline tonight. He’s always shown and stepping up big in that moment.”

What does it mean? The Orioles have two more games to play before the All-Star break, and the two wins in the last two days are vitally important if they’re to play meaningful games in the second half.

What’s the stat of the day? 423. Alexander’s home run was hit 423 feet, the longest of his career.

What’s the word? “We don’t have a ninth-inning guy. Our ninth-inning guy is on the IL.”-Albernaz on using Kittredge as the closer with Ryan Helsley on the injured list.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Sebastian Gongora gave up five runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings as Double-A Chesapeake lost to Akron, 5-2. Brandon Butterworth had three hits.

Twine Palmer gave up a run on three hits in six innings, striking out eight, as High-A Frederick beat Jersey Shore, 5-2. Ike Irish drove in two runs.

Single-A Delmarva centerfielder Jaiden Lo Re was removed from the Shorebirds’ 6-3 loss to Kannapolis in the first game of a doubleheader after a collision.

Steven Still allowed two unearned runs on two hits in five innings as Kannapolis swept the doubleheader with a 2-1 win in the second game. Junior Aybar homered for Delmarva.

What’s next? Kyle Bradish (5-9, 3.75) will start against Noah Cameron (5-6, 4.77) on Saturday night at 7:05.

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