The Baltimore Orioles avoided being swept by the Minnesota Twins with a 2-1 victory on Sunday. Once again the hits were sparse; Baltimore had five hits in the contest. Mr Splash finally earned his pay when Ramon Urias (0 for 3) doubled to open the fifth inning. The remaining four hits were all singles.
The Orioles were held scoreless for the first seven innings of the game, making it nineteen straight innings that Minnesota pitching kept the Orioles off the scoreboard. Ironically enough the only run scored before Sunday was the homerun hit off the top of the out-of-town scoreboard on Friday.
The Orioles eighth started with a Gunnar Henderson (0 for 2, 1 BB, 1 HBP) strikeout. Adley Rutschman (1 for 4, 1 R), who hit Friday’s homerun, beat out an infield single to the pitcher. Anthony Santander (1 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB) followed that with a nine-pitch at-bat resulting in a single. Aaron Hicks (1 for 3, 1 RBI) then singled Rutschman home. Cedric Mullins (0 for 4) grounded out and led the Twins to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn (0 for 0, 1 BB). Jordan Westburg (0 for 3, 1 BB) was hit by a pitch on his left hand to walk in what would be the winning run.
Adley Rutschman turned on the jets to get on base in the bottom of the 8th!
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 2, 2023
📺: #MLBSundayLeadoff on @Peacock pic.twitter.com/TsLV9u30Gu
TIE BALL GAME!! pic.twitter.com/sHGAKxcYDK
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 2, 2023
In a post-game interview, Westburg said the hand didn’t look pretty and was numb. He added, “check with me in an hour”. His was not the only injury sustained in the game. Austin Hays (0 for 1) exited the game for Hicks after the third inning. The All-Star Game deserving left-fielder suffered what was being called a left hip contusion that occured on a second inning collision with Twins first baseman Donovan Solano.
.@ahmedNBC chats with Jordan Westburg after he took a 101 mph fastball to his hand to give the @Orioles the lead on #MLBSundayLeadoff! pic.twitter.com/4AYz73negI
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 2, 2023
Anthony Bemboom went 1 for 3.
Starting pitcher Cole Irvin gave the Orioles a chance to win with a decent outing, allowing 1 run on 6 hits with 3 walks, 1 strikeout, a wild pitch thrown and hit a batter over 5.0 innings. Bryan Baker (2.0 IP, 1 K) was the bridge to Cionel Perez (2-1) who struck out 1 in 1.0 inning of relief and was credited with the win. Felix Bautista struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 22nd save of the year.
Our Mountain has range. pic.twitter.com/KzluywrFOz
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 2, 2023
Mullins made a spectacular catch on a Byron Buxton fly ball in the first to add to his career highlight reel.
Ceddy's slick with it 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/O0N3K1Z036
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 2, 2023
2023 Record: 49-33
Next Game: Mon. 7/3 @ 7:05 pm vs. Yankees in the Bronx