Calling the Pen: Mayo’s power show leads Orioles to 8-6 win over Royals

When the Orioles signed first baseman Pete Alonso, there didn’t appear to be a place on the team for Coby Mayo. Then third baseman Jordan Westburg suffered an elbow injury, and the Orioles looked smart for keeping Mayo, who traded in his first baseman’s mitt for the third base glove he used in the minors.

The bat, though, was missing, leading to speculation that Mayo might be demoted when second baseman Jackson Holliday returned. Unfortunately for Holliday, he reinjured the right hand that was recovering from surgery last February and was getting an MRI on Wednesday in Baltimore. Fortunately for Mayo, he was astounding everyone for the second straight game with his elite power in Kansas City.

On Tuesday night, he belted a towering 439-foot home run. On Wednesday, the 6-foot-5, 24-year-old hammered a slider 452 feet, over the fountains at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium and into the hands of an excited Orioles fan. It was the exclamation point on a six-run, sixth inning for the Orioles (12-13), who defeated the Royals, 8-6, to take a rollercoaster three-game series before coming home to play the Boston Red Sox.

Mayo took a fastball down the middle on the first pitch, which he said would have been a good one to hit. The slider he blasted was an even better pitch to hit. Mayo said it was a “good feeling,” but he didn’t know how far it traveled until Samuel Basallo told him in the dugout. “As long as it goes over the fence,” Mayo said.

Manager Craig Albernaz, who’s familiar with Kauffman Stadium, said he hadn’t seen a right-handed hitter “go where he did today.”

Mayo was upset with himself when he made a throwing error after fielding Nick Loftin’s ground ball at third for what would have been the final out of Wednesday’s game. Alonso offered words of encouragement after Bobby Witt Jr. struck out to give Anthony Nunez his first save after getting his first win on Monday night.

Mayo is working hard on his defense at third, just as he did last season when the Orioles used him at first. If he can be efficient at third and bring another power bat to the lineup, it will help the Orioles overcome the losses of the their starting third baseman and second baseman. Jeremiah Jackson, who had another RBI hit on Wednesday, has been terrific at second and one of the team’s most valuable players along with centerfielder Leody Taveras.

While Albernaz was among those who marveled at Mayo’s power, he was most pleased with the overall at-bats on Wednesday. Colton Cowser, who has the tools to be an impact player, had two hits, smoking a double and staying with a changeup for a soft single. Basallo, who had two clutch opposite-field hits in Monday night’s wild win, stayed with that approach for a hit in the sixth after Alonso walked. Taveras, Jackson and Cowser followed with singles before Mayo cleared the bases.

“Keep passing the baton,” Albernaz said. He said the series “shows our resiliency. We take hits, but we keep bouncing back.”

He also was pleased that Alonso hit a two-run homer to right field in the first. “That’s Pete,” he said. “He has power to all fields.”

That’s true of a number of Orioles, including Gunnar Henderson, who had another rough day at the plate, going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. That the Orioles could score eight runs without their leadoff hitter contributing is a good sign for an offense that has been confounding in its inconsistency.

On Wednesday, the offense showed promise, and some awesome power.