That was some baseball game! The Orioles’ offense, after going crazy the last two nights without a win to show for it, went quiet tonight. They scored just enough runs to support starter Trevor Rogers and the bullpen terrified us before succeeding in the end. The Orioles avoided the sweep and snapped their three-game losing streak.
Rogers struggled today. His velocity was down a bit, he struggled with command, and there was a point in time when he looked uncertain on the mound. His final pitching
line was 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 K. That’s what struggling looks like for the 2025 version of Rogers.
Things started off easily enough. Rogers allowed a leadoff single to Jeremy Peña, then later Peña stole third base. It was the first stolen base against Rogers this year. But Rogers struck out Jose Altuve and Christian Walker to end the first, and had a tidy seven-pitch, 1-2-3 second. Everything looked in order.
The Orioles’ offense came out against Spencer Arrighetti the way you might expect a team to do against a player with a 6.94 ERA. New leadoff batter Colton Cowser singled, but was erased on a double play ball off the bat of Jeremiah Jackson. It was a shame because Gunnar Henderson launched a home run to right field.
Henderson’s 16th home run gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead, and Ryan Mountcastle and Samuel Basallo singled to extend the inning. But Dylan Beavers lined out to old friend Ramón Urías at second base. The Orioles had four hits in the inning, including a home run, and had to settle for just one run.
Unfortunately, after the first inning, the Orioles decidedly did NOT treat Arrighetti like a pitcher with a 6.94 ERA. They did not have another baserunner against him until there were two outs in the sixth inning.
Rogers’s third inning was his toughest one. That he only allowed one run was a credit to him in an inning when he struggled. He started it by walking Cam Smith on four pitches. He struck out Chas McCormick after going to a full count, then Peña came up again. He singled in Smith to tie the game, then Rogers walked Correa.
As everyone hoped for a double play ball, Rogers looked uncertain on the mound. Drew French visited for a lengthy discussion. Rogers followed that by disengaging three times in the Altuve at-bat. On the third, a balk was called. Both runners moved up, and the possibility of the double play was erased. It ended up not mattering as Altuve struck out and Christian Walker flew out on the first pitch. It was a 22-pitch inning.
Rogers had traffic in the fourth and fifth innings as well, but got out of both thanks to some long fly balls to Cowser in center. His only baserunner in the fifth reached on an infield single that should have been an error by Ryan Mountcastle.
Finally, in the sixth inning, the Orioles got another baserunner. After Arrighetti retired 15 batters in a row, Gunnar Henderson came to the plate. He singled up the middle with two outs, and the Orioles were in business. Arrighetti went to a 3-1 count on Mountcastle. On the next pitch, Henderson took off for second base. The pitch was clearly ball four. Except! Home plate umpire Brian O’Nora called it strike two. Henderson was safe at second, and Mountcastle dropped the next pitch into right field for a single. Henderson came in to score and give the Orioles a 2-1 lead.
Mountcastle was the best last batter for Arrighetti. Relief pitcher John Rooney made his major league debut for the Astros and walked Samuel Basallo. But Beavers struck out to end the inning and leave the Orioles clinging to a one-run lead.
Rogers came back out for the seventh with his struggles behind him. It may have been his best inning of the game. He got two quick outs on a strikeout and a pop-up, then Peña stepped to the plate. He had been trouble for Rogers all day, and broadcaster Kevin Brown wondered if they would let Rogers face him again or go to the bullpen. Well, Kevin, a tired Rogers is better than literally any pitcher in the bullpen. Tony Mansolino agreed with me. Rogers struck out Peña to finish his day. A great performance from a pitcher on a day when he didn’t have his best stuff.
A one-run lead is always tenuous, but for this bullpen it’s downright scary. Luis Vázquez knows that. It’s why he picked that very moment to hit his first major league home run. And it wasn’t a cheapie! It sailed into the Orioles’ bullpen, 416 feet away. And so Orioles turned a 3-1 lead over to the bullpen for the final two innings. Spoiler: they would need that run.
Rico Garcia was first out of the pen and Correa greeted him with a single. Just like that, the tying run was at the plate. Altuve flew out, then Walker hit a line drive that looked destined for the outfield. Henderson managed to get a glove on it and knocked it down. It was hit so hard he still had time to throw to first. Again, Mountcastle couldn’t handle the throw. It was in and out of his glove. Come on!
Henderson made another great play on the next batter, but it still didn’t result in an out. Diaz hit a ball into the shortstop hole. Henderson laid out to get it and fired to second base but Walker got to the base in time, confirmed by replay. Henderson didn’t get an out, but he did save a run for the second straight play.
Keegan Akin came on with the bases loaded and one out, hoping to save the lead. Pinch hitter Victor Caratini flew out to left field. Correa tagged from third and he probably would have scored no matter what, but Beavers’s throw was not impressive. Akin got out of the jam with another flyout to left field. Phew! 3-2, Orioles.
After the Orioles embarrassed themselves against former teammate and senior citizen Craig Kimbrel, Akin came back out for the ninth. I know you were nervous. I was nervous. But Akin didn’t seem nervous. He simply struck out the side to end the game. Strike three to the dangerous Peña was just out of the strike zone, but I’m not going to complain.
Orioles win, 3-2! It was a nailbiter but a lot of fun in the end.
