The Baltimore Orioles returned to Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday only to see their losing streak extend to three games after the Seattle Mariners (35-32) defeated them 6-3 in front of 12,377 fans. A return to their home nest did nothing to help the Birds on this night.
The Orioles struck first in the third inning on a Pete Alonso sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. Blaze Alexander was hit by a pitch to open the inning and back-to-back walks with one out to Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson loaded the bases for Alonso.
Then the fifth inning happened. Trey Gibson (1-1), who got the starting nod after Chris Bassitt was put on the 15-day IL for lower back discomfort, pitched effectively over the first four innings of the game. Gibson retired 12 of the 15 batters he faced leading up to the fifth. He gave up a leadoff single and then a second single with one out. With runners at the corners, Seattle tied the game at one apiece on a Ryan Bliss sacrifice fly. A third single marked the end of Gibson’s night. Anthony Nunez relieved Gibson with runners at first and second with two outs and promptly walked Julio Rodriguez to load the bases. Josh Naylor then greeted Nunez with a 358 ft. grand-slam homerun to right field; the inning ended one batter later and with it Gibson’s final line. Gibson was tagged for 3 runs allowed on 5 hits with a walk over 4.2 innings.
Nunez retired the Mariners’ side in order in the 6th and 7th innings to finish with 2 runs allowed on one hit with a walk and a pair of strikeouts over 2.1 innings.
A wild pitch sandwiched between a pair of singles with Albert Suarez pitching in the eighth resulted in Seattle’s final run.
The Orioles scored a run in the seventh when a wild pitch by Matt Brash allowed Coby Mayo to cross the plate. Brash hit Alexander with a pitch and walked Henderson to load the bases. Alonso then thought he had drawn a RBI-walk on a 3-2 pitch but Seattle successfully challenged the ball call, ending both the threat and the inning. Brash seemed to have control issues as pitches to both Alexander and Alonso were high and tight.
Leody Taveras scored a run in the eighth on an Alexander RBI single. Another successful challenge by Seattle wiped out the Orioles’ fourth run and ended the inning. With Jackson Holliday on third and Alexander on first, pinch hitter Samuel Basallo hit what appeared to be sacrifiec fly but Alexander was thrown out at second after tagging up. Holliday appeared to score the fourth run, but the call was overturned when review determined that Alexander was out prior to Holliday touching home plate.
Once again, the game was a story of missed opportunities with the Orioles stranding 10 runners and going 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
2026 Record: 31-36
Next Game: Tues. 6/9 @ 6:35 pm vs. Seattle Mariners
