The Baltimore Orioles lived out the phrase “expect the unexpected” on Sunday as they used the power of four homeruns and solid pitching to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers (49-29) in convincing fashion. In a “did this just happen?” moment, the final score was 12-1.
The Dodgers scored their lone run in the first inning on a RBI single by Max Muncy that allowed Shohei Ohtani to score. Ohtani drew a walk to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a Freddie Freeman single to right field. Orioles’ pitching then scattered three hits over the rest of the game, retiring 14 of the final 15 Dodgers’ batters.
Brandon Young (6-2) set the pace for the pitching staff. The righty allowed LA’s first inning run and a total of 5 hits in 5.0 innings of work. He walked 2 and struck out 5 as well. Young needed 95 pitches (62 K’s) to navigate those five innings.
Grant Wolfram and Keegan Akin each pitched 2.0 no-hit innings in relief of Young. Akin walked 1 and struck out 1 while Wolfram’s line was clean, six batters faced, six outs.
The Orioles’ bats struck early and often, putting up runs in six of nine innings. The Birds scored two runs in the first inning on bases loaded RBI-singles by Samuel Basallo and Colton Cowser. The Orioles failed to tack on more runs as Cowser’s single loaded the bases with one out.
Taylor Ward (2 for 4, 3 R, RBI, BB) homered in the second inning and Cowser (3 for 5, R, 4 RBI) did the same in the third and added a 2-RBI single in the fourth.
Four runs in the seventh gave the Orioles a 10-1 lead with the big blow being a three-run homerun by Pete Alonso (2 for 3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB).
Blaze Alexander (3 for 5, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI) joined the homer party in the eighth inning. Following a Leody Taveras triple, Alexander deposited his third homerun of the season into the seats in left center field.
I doubt anyone saw this coming, especially the Dodgers.
2026 Record: 37-42
Next Game: Mon. 6/22 @ 9:38 pm @ Los Angeles Angels
