Keeping with the Star Wars theme, today’s game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays (29-30) was “The Return of the Birds”. Having lost their pervious two games with the Blue Jays, the Orioles staged a 5 run comeback in the ninth inning to walk-off a 6-5 win in frony of 32,645 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
The Orioles entered the home-half of the ninth trailing 5-1 while facing Baltimore’s biggest fan, Jeff Hoffman. After striking out Samuel Basallo (1 for 2, 2 BB), Hoffman then hit Coby Mayo (1 for 3) on his left elbow. Mayo scored on Leody Taveras‘ (1 for 3) triple. Jackson Holliday (1 for 3, BB) singled in a run and Colton Cowser (1 for 2) doubled..
Taylor Ward walked to load the bases and Gunnar Henderson‘s walk not only knocked in a run, it knocked Hoffman out of the game as well; his RBI single in the third allowed Baltimore’s first run to score. Adley Rutschman drew a walk that tied the game at 5 each, setting the stage for Pete Alonso‘s RBI single to walk off the win.
Walks were a theme for Toronto today as four pitchers combined to walk 11 Baltimore batters. The most egregious was last season’s playoff wonderkid Trey Yesavage, who walked 7 himself.
Brandon Young was impressive in his 8th start of the season, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits with a walk, 7 strikeouts and a hit batter across 6.2 innings of work. Keegan Akin allowed the 2 runners he inherited from Anthony Nunez to score.
Albert Suarez (2-0), who is back for the 3rd time this season got credit for the win despite surrendering an unearned run in the ninth.
Two things to keep an eye on: Mayo’s elbow and Basallo’s left shoulder (he felt a pinch in his left pectoral muscle during his 9th inning strikeout).
2026 Record: 27-32
Next Game: Sun. 5/31 @ 12:15 pm vs. Toronto Blue Jays (Peacock)
