After managing just one hit through seven innings, the Orioles found their bats just in time to rally from a three-run deficit and beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, on Wednesday night on a two-run, walk-off single by catcher James McCann.
In a game that began five hours after its originally scheduled start time because of rain, the Orioles entered looking for a spark offensively. After beating the Los Angeles Angels by a combined score of 24-7 over their first two games of the season, they had been outscored 12-8 over their next three and allowed their opponents to score first in each of them.
That trend continued Wednesday, when the Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead with ace Corbin Burnes on the mound for the Orioles. Baltimore had no such luck against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, who sat down the first 10 batters he faced before designated hitter Adley Rutschman doubled to left with one out in the fourth inning. Ragans, who broke out with the Royals in the second half of last season, dominated the Orioles with 6 1/3 innings of one-hit ball.
It wasn’t until the eighth inning when the Orioles finally got the line moving offensively. After squandering a would-be rally in the seventh, Colton Cowser, pinch hitting for center fielder Jorge Mateo, led off with a single and McCann followed with a double into the left field corner. They picked up two runs on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman’s RBI single, though they were a run short when Rutschman got thrown out by right fielder Hunter Renfroe trying to stretch his hit into a double.
After reliever Yennier Cano pitched a 1-2-3 scoreless ninth to give the Orioles a chance with three outs to go, the Orioles loaded the bases with one out. Facing left-handed closer Will Smith, Cowser struck out looking to bring up McCann. He got ahead 2-0 in the count before hitting a line drive to left, scoring the game-tying and game-winning runs for the Orioles’ second walk-off hit in three days.
“The big thing right there is there’s as much pressure on the pitcher as there is on the hitter,” McCann said after the game. “Just trying to make him come to me. I have some history with him, seen him a few times. Just trying to get him over the plate and put a good swing on it and thankfully found the hole.”
The Orioles (4-2) only managed to hit three balls out of the infield against Ragans. The left-hander racked up seven strikeouts and cruised into the seventh inning before the Orioles finally put a runner in scoring position with back-to-back walks by Rutschman and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. However, Ragans then struck out right fielder Anthony Santander to end his afternoon before right-hander James McArthur worked out of the jam.
“I feel like our offense is going to get going,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “I don’t feel like we’ve clicked offensively yet. We have to get going early in the game to take some pressure off our pitching, but our pitching won that game. And James McCann, too.”
With Ragans practically unhittable, the Orioles needed their own ace to be perfect. Coming off a stellar Orioles debut on opening day, Burnes kept the Orioles in it but wasn’t nearly as sharp his second time out. He allowed nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, the most he had surrendered in a game since July 30, 2021, and tied for his career high.
The right-hander did limit the damage, however. Kansas City stranded seven base runners against him, including four in scoring position. Burnes struck out three and did not walk a batter for his second straight start. The two runs the Royals scored against him both came on RBI singles by first baseman Salvador Perez, one in the first inning and the other in the third.
“I think that’s one of the longer rain delays I’ve been a part of but when they say game time at 6:05 you got be ready to go,” Burnes said. “We had a plan going out tonight and did a great job. Credit to that Royals lineup for not going down easy with two strikes. … But we were able to battle. Almost got through six innings with what we were dealt with so was definitely proud of that.”
When Burnes handed the ball off to reliever Mike Baumann with two outs in the fifth, the Orioles trailed by two runs. Kansas City then tacked on another run off Baumann in the sixth with a solo home run by third baseman Maikel Garcia, who went 5-for-13 in the series with a homer, two doubles and a triple. Left-hander Danny Coulombe then picked up four outs to bridge the game to Cano, who wound up with the win after his teammates’ ninth-inning rally.
The Orioles will get the day off Thursday before opening their first road trip of the season with a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Around the horn
• Orioles left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez said in the clubhouse Wednesday morning he was feeling much better after landing on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain Sunday. He’ll be earliest eligible to return April 15 when the Orioles open a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins.
• The Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides scored 26 runs in their win over the Charlotte Knights on Wednesday night. Outfielder Kyle Stowers had three home runs. Outfielder Heston Kjerstad drove in 10 RBIs. Infielder Coby Mayo had five hits. Second baseman Jackson Holliday scored five runs. The reigning national champions are off to a 4-1 start in International League play.
• After opting out of his minor league deal with the Orioles when he didn’t make the team out of spring training, veteran right-hander Julio Teheran reportedly signed a one-year deal with the New York Mets on Wednesday. He’s expected to help fill out their injury-hampered rotation.
Orioles at Pirates
Friday, 4:12 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
