The Baltimore Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 in eleven innings on Thursday. With the win, the Orioles secured their third straight winning month, something the organization last did in 2016 (April through June).
The game saw a run scored on the first pitch via an Andrew Vaughn homerun and on the final pitch when Cedric Mullins crossed homeplate (1 for 4, 1 Run Scored, HBP).
Anthony Santander (2 for 5, 1 Run Scored, 3 RBI) answered Vaughn with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning. Santander would save his best for last, however. While the Orioles were then held scoreless foR the next 7 innings, the White Sox scored twice to lead 3-2.
The ninth inning was when the drama started. Santander popped out and Ryan Mountcastle (1 for 3, 1 BB) struck out. With two outs and two strikes, Kyle Stowers hit a foul ball into left field that Adam Engel dropped for an error. Given another chance, Stowers swung and missed the next Liam Hendricks fastball but then hit the next pitch, a curveball, 404 feet to center for his first MLB career homerun. He finished the game 1 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI.
The bottom of the 11th started with Cedric Mullins (1 for 4, 1 Run Scored) on second base. An Adley Rutschman (1 for 5, 1 Run Scored) single advanced Mullins to third. Santander then ended the night when his single plated Mullins for the walk-off.
Jordan Lyles gave the Orioles a quality start, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on 9 hits, including Vaughn’s homerun, and struck out 2 over 7.0 innings. Felix Bautista (4-3) struck out 2 in 2.0 innings to get the win.
If Joey Krehbiel (1.0 IP) doesn’t pitch a clean ninth inning to keep the score at 3-2 the game may have had a different outcome.
2022 Record: 65-59 (2.5 GB the 3rd Wild Card spot)
Next Game: 8/26 @ Houston @ 8:10 pm