The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 in 11 innings on Saturday. A single down the right field line by Jordan Westburg (4 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI, SB) allowed “Ghost Runner” Colton Cowser (1 for 5, R) to slide chest-first across home plate and score the winning run. It was Westburg’s second walk-off hit of the season (the Birds have 4 total walk-offs).
Two big factors in the win were Anthony Santander‘s (1 for 4, HR, R, RBI, BB) eighth inning homerun that tied the score at 4 and a solid shutdown performance by the bullpen. Tony Tater’s homerun may not have mattered had five relievers not combined to allow Arizona just one hit over 6.1 innings combined.
John Means started and lasted 4.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits (HR) with 3 strikeouts and a hit batter. The bullpen took it from there with Mike Baumann allowing a hit over 2.1 innings. Keegan Akin (K), Yennier Cano (BB), Danny Coulombe (K) and Craig Kimbrel (K, HBP) each pitched 1.0 inning with Kimbrel getting credit for the win to move his record to 4-1 on the season.
Gunnar Henderson (2 for 4, HR, R, RBI, BB), who makes a dazzling defensive play seemingly every game, did so on a Christian Walker ground ball in the eighth, putting the topper on his fifth inning homerun 411 ft. to right-center.
Ryan Mountcastle went 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, a triple and 1 run scored.
Jorge Mateo went 1 for 4 with a run scored.
Ryan O’Hearn went 1 for 4 with 1 RBI and a walk.
Despite going 0 for 3 at the plate, Heston Kjerstad made a defensive gem in left field in the fifth inning.
2024 Record: 26-12
Next Game: Sun. 5/12 (Mother’s Day) @ 1:35 pm vs. Arizona Diamondbacks