BALTIMORE—There was a palpable energy around Oriole Park on Wednesday night. With the Orioles owning a 19-game losing streak, an announced crowd of 15,867 came to a weeknight game — many to see Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani pitch rather than the Orioles try to avoid a 20-game skid.
The lively crowd was rewarded. They got to watch Ohtani throw five innings and allow a career-high three homers. They also got to watch him strike out three times at the plate.
But what had them on their feet at the end was a five-run Orioles eighth inning that ended the streak with a 10-6 win over the Angels.
The Orioles’ bullpen was superb. In the final six innings, Conner Greene, Cole Sulser, Dillon Tate (5-4) Tanner Scott and Tyler Wells combined to allow just one hit. They gave the Orioles a chance to come back from a 6-2 deficit, and the Orioles took advantage of it.
It was the Orioles’ first win since August 2nd, and their first at home since July 28th.
“It’s electric in there,” Cedric Mullins said of the Orioles’ clubhouse. “Coming off a crazy streak, the team continued to grind every single day. I know it looked like it was going to be the big 2-0 today. We fought back, continued to grind, and was able to hold it for a few innings.”
The Orioles trailed, 6-5, heading into the eighth. Trey Mancini led off with a single. Anthony Santander doubled him to third. DJ Stewart was intentionally walked by Jake Petricka (0-1). Ramón Urias walked to score Mancini with the tying run.
James Hoyt struck out Jahmai Jones. Hoyt walked Kelvin Gutiérrez to score Santander with the go-ahead run.
Austin Hays, batting for Austin Wynns, doubled to left, scoring two, and the Orioles (39-86) led, 9-6. Mullins’ sacrifice fly scored Gutiérrez to make it 10-6.
“It felt like postseason pressure,” manager Brandon Hyde. “I’ve never experienced a middle-of-August game with a couple of teams that aren’t in the postseason hunt … There was tension, there was pressure. Everybody was on the top step. Our guys just really wanted this one.
“We’re tired of hearing. We’re tired of seeing it on TV. Everybody’s tired of it.”
To help end the streak, Wynns ordered some sage online, and he and Mancini walked throughout the ballpark, sprinkling it in critical places.
“It smelled kind of weird, but the sage kicked in,” Mullins. “I saw him wafting it around the batting cage when I was hitting, and I was like, ‘smart man.’”
Mancini and Wynns took about 15 minutes to apply the streak-breaker. “We saged everything we possibly could,” Mancini said. “It worked.”
Ohtani had never allowed more than one homer in a game, but in the first inning he served up Mullins’ 22nd on his first pitch, and Santander’s 14th for a 2-0 lead.
Chris Ellis, whom the Orioles acquired last week on waivers from Tampa Bay after he threw four scoreless, one-hit innings against them, made his first appearance and his initial major league start. He struck out Ohtani twice but allowed three runs. Brandon Marsh tied the game, 2-2, with a two-run single in the second.
Hyde removed Ellis after Jared Walsh’s 23rd home run gave Los Angeles (63-65) a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Marcos Diplán, who came into the game with just one run allowed in his first eight appearances, couldn’t retire a single batter. Marsh hit a three-run homer for a 6-2 Angels lead.
Stewart hit a two-run homer against Ohtani in the bottom of the fourth, and the Orioles trailed, 6-4.
Ohtani left after five innings, allowing four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. He was hitless in four at-bats, striking out three times and grounding out to first.
The Orioles crept closer in the bottom of the seventh. In his second game with the team, Jones led off with a single, his first as an Oriole. Gutiérrez was hit by a pitch by Mike Mayers. Wynns’ bunt moved both runners up, and Jones scored on Mullins’ infield out. Petricka struck out Ryan Mountcastle to end the inning.
That set up the big finish for the Orioles, who won’t have to hear about the 0-21 start in 1988 any longer.
“It’s up to us to go out there and win a game so that it’s not talked about,” Mancini said. “When there’s a streak of that many games, it’s got to be talked about, and you can’t get mad about it. That’s just the way it is. I wish it didn’t take us this long for it to happen, but I’m glad it’s over.”
Notes: Infielder Jorge Mateo, who left Tuesday’s game with back discomfort, didn’t play. Hyde said he should be back in a day or two. … Keegan Akin (0-8, 7.92 ERA) will face Jaime Barria (2-2, 5.87) on Thursday afternoon at 1:05. … Before the game, Greene was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. Greene had been lost on a waiver claim to the Dodgers. He had two scoreless outings for them and was reclaimed by the Orioles on Monday. … Mullins has seven leadoff homers, tied for second most in team history. Brady Anderson, who holds the record with 12 in 1996, hit seven in 1999 and 2000.
Minor league update: Kevin Smith allowed three runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings as Norfolk lost to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 8-2. Smith (2-4) saw his ERA rise to 5.95.
Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings as Double-A Bowie lost to Erie, 6-1. It was the second start for Jannis (0-1) since his demotion from Norfolk. Catcher Cody Roberts had three hits. Second baseman Terrin Vavra homered.
Second baseman A.J. Graffanino’s sacrifice fly scored Cristopher Cespedes with the winning run as High-A Aberdeen beat Brooklyn, 2-1, in eight innings in the first game of a doubleheader. Zach Peek allowed one run on three hits in five innings, striking out five.
Despite holding the Cyclones to two hits in the second game, Aberdeen lost, 1-0. Designated hitter Gunnar Henderson had two hits.
The Salem Red Sox scored seven runs in the seventh on their way to an 8-3 win over Low-A Delmarva. The Orioles’ top two draft choices, Colton Cowser and Connor Norby, each had two hits and drove in a run.
Bowie will open its 2022 schedule on April 8th against Richmond and will play though September 19th.
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View Comments
Nice...go O’s...
Nice win for sure. But our team,,,yikes. Pitching isn't great but our defense is really poor. If we had decent corner infielders those 2 runs in the 2nd don't happen. Adell almost turns a routine single into a double in the 4th. Our fielding is certainly contributing to the poor pitching results.
The O's break their 19 game losing streak and you have to harp on their bad defense? OhMy!
Nobody beats the O’s twenty times in a row
The rebuild has officially begun!
Good take BRR!
Hesitate to comment on anything anymore...go O’s...
Another DHall ... just like high school.
No sense of humor.
LOL, oops...go O’s...
You guys are so funny, you just crack me up!
Still trying to squeeze in at the cool kids table 'eh Richard?
I attended the game last night. I go to 15-20 games a year. I cut the cord years ago, so no MASN. Rich, you’re absolutely right. There was a cool vibe in the Yard last night from the beginning. It was the best atmosphere of the year. It wasn’t quite like Fantastic Fans night in 1988, and I was told by an usher that they had 10,000 walk up tickets purchased to see Ohtani, but it was really fun. It’s why going to sporting events trumps watching on the boob tube.
MLB.TV ...... $130 get's you every game Chico. No cable required.
Unfortunately, not if you live in the Orioles' viewing region, which is quite large, Ken.
I forgot about that little detail.
So disappointed, taking kid to his first orioles game today and wanted them to lose yesterday so I could be there when they finally won. Oh well, let’s just start winning and as boog said “ let the rebuild begin”
Glass half full
How sweet it is...
Great win. Impressive. Comeback wins always stand out. Kudos to DJ for closing the gap(2 run shot--yes NOT a solo). Hays clutch. Santander looking like an offensive beast again. Really driving the ball with authority. He's gotta pick up some of the English language though so maybe he can be the one on post-game interviews. Wonder what Ohtani's offensive numbers are like when he doesn't pitch as compared to when he does? I know Madden is considered one of baseball's finer managers but WOW does he
like to tinker with his bullpen. Go O's keep it up.
Al, Santander can speak English, but wants to make sure he’s understood correctly. He was one of our interviews on Tuesday. He often answers questions without them being translated.
BTW, good article yesterday on the MLB app about the farm system's top ranking. Writer says the O's have historically relied on the free agent market to put together their teams. But the glory years were fueled by player development, from Brooks and Jim to Eddie and Cal.
I remember the Steinbrenner era when the O's picked an over-the-hill Freddy Lynn (part of the '88 team). That was never gonna work for us!!
I for one am really pleased to see the direction Mike Elias et al are steering the franchise.
Happy for these guys! So glad that’s over. Great to hear some excitement at the ballpark as well.
Surprised to see us be able to hit Othani. I wonder if the heat was affecting him didn’t seem to have any breaking ball. I think it will be interesting to see what Elias does with Santander this offseason as he his getting healthy and showing that last year was not a fluke.
To me this “win” sums up one of if not the biggest issues with this organization and Hyde . They have a losing attitude you lose 19 straight you win one game and it’s like a playoff . Come on man you gotta hate to lose it’s got to be repugnant to you . Can you imagine the Yankees or Red Sox or the Dodgers losing 19 in a row ? If I were Hyde I’d have shut the clubhouse doors shutdown any “celebration “ and probably not so gently reminded them your supposed to win the damn game .
This losing attitude which Hyde or Gonzalez have done nothing to correct is probably the single biggest issue I have with the organization.
Agree, if I’m allowed ...go O’s...
The current problem is that losing isn't repugnant to our GM. In fact ... he has architected it.
After 19 straight losses, the players can celebrating a win like it was the playoffs is how they should celebrate it. If they are apathetic to winning then as you say they are accepting of the losses
Gee Cedar, didn't you get the memo? No opposing the CP & BRR company line. All things Orioles are totally embarrassing and no celebrating breaking a 19 game losing streak with a "win" (cool quotation marks, don't you think) will be tolerated. So go to timeout for a while
Ok, That’s enough for the Negativity. They won last night. Let’s be positive, at least for the next game or two. It was great to see, a smiley face again. It’s been awhile, We all know, we have a long way to go and last night wasn’t pretty, but guess what, We Won! And they are human, they could be reading our comments and let’s face it, some of our comments, could make anyone be down on themselves or maybe, make them
CRY
Unbelievable…the team loses 19 straight games, and they finally win one in a come from behind fashion and the complaint is they didn’t act right in celebrating the win…aye yi yi
If you’re a fan, enjoy the win
Act like you’ve been there, Hyde missed a great opportunity to send a message, you can celebrate, but seriously, like they won a playoff game...agree unbelievable...go O’s...
Agree unbelievable? Who are you agreeing with? Yourself apparently...Can you go back to faking fear of posting something questionable or needing permission to agree with a comment? Thanks CP!
McDonald just said on Masn, teachable moments (Stewart missed a fly ball), gotta use them while you can...go O’s...
Well, all the “Oh’s” fans got what they came to see right off the bat.
LOL, oops...go O’s...
If they can call catchers interference then they should damn well be able to call, hell, I don’t even have a name for it, I’ll just say attempted homicide, on DJ Stewart for his ridiculous backswing that’s hit about a dozen catchers in the head so far this season.
The Keegenator mowing them down, going to get his 1st win!
Gruber, been there, watched that. It’s crazy, isn’t it?
Kevin Guttierrez has a major league body . Now only if he plays up to it
O's win 2nd in a row - Urias, Stewart, and Severino shine in supporting roles to Akin seven inning outstanding performance! Oh how I love it!