Orioles hang on for 5-3 win over Mariners after long rain delay; Sugano wins 10th, Mountcastle steals home again

BALTIMORE-What happened? On an unusual day that featured a sixth-inning rain delay lasting two hours, 18 minutes, the Orioles took a series from the Seattle Mariners, a team that had won eight straight before Wednesday.

The Orioles scored five runs before the rain came and held on for a 5-3 win over the Mariners before 14,089 on Thursday.

When play resumed after a surprise storm soaked the field and led to the long delay, Seattle scored on a two-run home run by Julio Rodríguez, who had been up when the delay commenced.

Tomoyuki Sugano (10-5) gave up a run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Rico Garcia relieved him for Rodriguez. Keegan Akin allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless seventh. Kade Strowd worked a perfect eighth.

Dietrich Enns earned his first save in the ninth. He allowed two hits and walked a batter. Dominic Canzone scored on a fielder’s choice by Randy Arozarena.

Sugano became the 10^th Japanese pitcher to win at least 10 games in his rookie season.

“It’s just one goal; there’s more goals ahead. So I just want to make sure I get more wins for the team moving forward,” he said through his translator.

The three hits Sugano allowed tied for the fewest in a start. He walked one and struck out two.

“Every pitch was effective and it went according to game plan, so it was good,” he said.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino was impressed with Sugano who’s won his last four decisions.

“Pretty good. No runs, throwing strikes, good velocity, good split, good command,” Mansolino said. “He was good. We kind of dreamed on him going a couple of more innings right there the way that thing was going, really unfortunate.”

The Orioles (55-66) scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth when Jordan Westburg scored on a wild pitch by Logan Evans (6-5). Ryan Mountcastle, who stole home on May 30^th and missed more than two months with a strained right hamstring, stole home again on a double steal featuring Daniel Johnson.

Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI single scored Johnson for a 3-0 lead.

Gunnar Henderson doubled against Carlos Vargas in the fifth to score Jackson Holliday. Mountcastle’s sacrifice fly drove in Westburg to give the Orioles a 5-0 lead after five.

What happened with the rain delay? Mansolino insisted that crew chief Mike Muchlinski stop the game when he saw Sugano having trouble gripping the ball.

“When our pitcher has to step off the mound twice because he can’t see the plate because the rain is in his eyes so bad, it is the responsibility of the manager to go out there and state our case as to why that’s not a good situation for our team, and it wasn’t,” Mansolino said. “I didn’t love the situation as a whole. Fortunately, they rectified it before the next pitch was thrown. Thankful for that, and able to move on and get through the rain delay and win a game.”

Sugano was glad the game was halted.

“If I had thrown another pitch, I wasn’t sure where it was going to go,” he said.

How much is Jackson improving? Jackson is turning into an interesting player for the Orioles. He made a fine throw in the first inning to nab Josh Naylor trying for second base on a double.

“I just tried to take an aggressive route to the ball,” he said. “Once I looked up, I was pretty set on going to second. I got there quick, so I thought I had time and was just able to make a pretty good throw and let Gunnar do the rest.”

Mansolino has watched him improve over the past two weeks.

“That’s the sign of being a good infielder,” Mansolino said. “You pick up the ball on the ground and make a good throw and put it on the base. Those are infield skills which lend themselves nicely to playing the outfield because the ball on the ground and throwing to bases is a huge part of playing the outfield. Jeremiah’s going to get better in front of our eyes as long as he’s here and going forward in his career.”

The 25-year-old Jackson is batting .267 with three RBIs in 11 major league games.

“I don’t know if comfortable is the right word, but I definitely feel like I’m getting my footing,” he said. “There’s a lot of good guys around here that are helping me get better every day. Just to be in a group like this, it’s easy to get better, and it’s been awesome.”

Enns for the 9^th: Enns recorded his first save since September 20^th, 2021 when he was with Tampa Bay. He’s the eighth different Oriole to save a game.

Mansolino has been searching for a closer, and Enns will get chances. He knows what he’s looking for in a ninth-inning pitcher.

“Just really in control of your emotions, a lot of confidence,” he said. “Willing to fail, not trying to be afraid to fail is the biggest thing. It’s really hard when you make a mistake in the ninth inning and you have to face your teammates, and that’s the underlying fear of most people in the ninth inning. You feel like your cost the game.

“Your starters and the bullpen guys have went out and got you a lead in the ninth inning, and if you’re the pitcher that loses the lead, you’ve got to face the clubhouse after the game. It’s fear. It’s human emotion. It’s a real thing. I think people who’ve been around the game a long time feel strong that the ninth inning is different. As we’ve watched recently, that holds true.”

What does it mean? The Orioles will have to continue to surprise teams. They’re in a stretch against playoff contenders with four series with Houston and Boston on the road and at home.

What’s the stat of the day? Mountcastle became the first Oriole to steal home twice in a season since Doug DeCinces in 1980. Don Buford (1970) and Davey Johnson (1971) are the others.

What’s the word? “I don’t think we have much of a choice.”-Mansolino on the Orioles’ aggressiveness on the bases.

Coming up: The Orioles open a three-game series at Houston on Friday night. Brandon Young (0-6, 6.70) will face Framber Valdez (11-5, 2.97). Game time is 8:10.

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