Tonight’s matchup at Oriole Park was not exactly the platonic ideal of what a baseball game should be. The weather was absolutely miserable. The teams were two of the worst in baseball. Let’s just say it’s not the kind of game you’d write wistful histories about.
But the Baltimore Orioles versus the Detroit Tigers was on the schedule for May 22, darn it, and so a baseball game was indeed played at Camden Yards tonight. And the O’s emerged victorious, 7-4, to begin their 10-game homestand, thanks to a 14-hit
attack by the offense, home runs from Pete Alonso and Jackson Holliday, and a quality effort from a slew of bullpen arms.
The first two innings of this game were a microcosm of everything that’s gone wrong for the Orioles in 2026. Did the O’s give up a home run on the very first pitch of the game? Yes, of course they did, with rookie prodigy Kevin McGonigle crushing opener Keegan Akin for a dinger to right. Did the Orioles struggle to score runs against a terrible pitcher, with a bunch of RISP failures thrown in? Yes, naturally, as former O’s dud Jack Flaherty (5.77 ERA entering the game) started with two scoreless innings while the Birds went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. By the time bulk reliever Chris Bassitt gave up a third-inning run to put the Orioles in a 2-0 hole, it looked like it was going to be another long night at the ol’ ballyard.
But here’s a key thing to remember: the Tigers, too, are a very bad team. And in the bottom of the third, they showed why. With one out and a runner at first, Gunnar Henderson smacked a grounder to short that could’ve been an inning-ending double play. But McGonigle booted it, getting nobody out. The Orioles took full advantage of the extra out when Pete Alonso went the opposite way on a Flaherty fastball and drove it onto the right-field flag court for an Earl Weaver Special. That’s what I’m talking about, Polar Bear! With one mighty swing, the O’s had taken a 3-2 lead.
No sooner had the Orioles taken the lead than they coughed it up again, with some bad defense hounding Bassitt in the fourth. A leadoff single and ground-rule double put two runners in scoring position with one out before Zach McKinstry bounced a chopper to Alonso at first. Pete made the wrong decision to try to cut down the lead runner at the plate, but his throw home was late. Had he just gotten the sure out at first, the run still would’ve scored, but the O’s would’ve had the second out of the inning. Instead, the Tigers remained alive even after Bassitt struck out Gage Workman, and Hao-Yu Lee’s infield single plated the go-ahead run from third.
Still, the Orioles wasted no time erasing their latest deficit. Back-to-back singles by Leody Taveras and Colton Cowser opened the bottom of the fourth before Flaherty balked. You can’t just be up there and just doin’ a balk like that! That tied the game at four, and two batters later, Jackson Holliday untied it. He lofted a fly ball to left field that just kept carrying…and carrying…and somehow snuck onto the base of the foul pole for a two-run homer.
At 337 feet, it was the shortest left field home run of the Statcast era. But it’s a towering blast in the box score! It was the first of the year for Holliday, who reached base three times tonight. Maybe he’ll be a useful addition to the lineup after all. That prompted an exit for Flaherty, who lasted just 3.1 innings and gave up six runs (three earned). Never change, Jack.
This time, the O’s didn’t let the lead slip away. Bassitt worked into the sixth inning, ultimately allowing three runs and six hits in 4.1 innings, before Craig Albernaz unleashed his high-leverage relievers. He aggressively turned to erstwhile closer Rico Garcia in the sixth inning, when the Tigers were threatening to rally with a runner at second and one out. Garcia did his job to perfection, retiring both batters he faced. I approve of using Garcia in any high-leverage situation, whether it’s the sixth inning or the ninth or anything in between.
Yennier Cano and Tyler Wells were similarly excellent, tossing a perfect seventh and eighth inning respectively, while the O’s added an insurance in the sixth on an Alonso sac fly. That plated Henderson, who had led off with a single, one of his three hits on the night. Don’t look now, but Gunnar has 11 hits in his last five games, and his OPS is back over .700. It’s a start.
Have I mentioned yet that the majority of this game was played in what appeared to be a torrential downpour? The rain didn’t let up the entire night, and at every inning break I was sure that the grounds crew was about to bring the tarp onto the field. But no delay ever occurred. Kudos to the small but intrepid crowd of O’s fans who stuck around for the entirety of this rain-soaked game between two sub-.500 clubs in May. You are made of stronger stuff than I.
Albernaz showed faith in rookie Anthony Nunez, last seen blowing an eighth-inning lead to the Rays on Wednesday, to lock down the save attempt in the ninth. Happily, this outing went much better for him than the previous one. Nunez followed the lead of the Orioles’ other relievers and retired all three batters he faced, racking up two strikeouts, to put this one to bed.
Nice job by the Orioles to notch a victory under miserable field conditions and handle their business against a badly struggling Tigers team. Who is your Most Birdland Player for tonight? The Polar Bear, for his three-run homer and sac fly? Holliday or Henderson, for reaching base thrice? How about the combined effort from the O’s bullpen? Let us know in the comments.
