The Baltimore Orioles finally put an end to their six-game skid on Monday, claiming a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, thanks to a solid start from Trevor Rogers and a pair of homers from Coby Mayo.
Rogers delivered a quality outing, pitching into the eighth frame while surrendering just one run on six hits, improving his record to 10-9. With this win, Baltimore narrowed the gap to three games behind Cleveland for the final AL wild-card position, while the Guardians now sit only half a game ahead of Toronto, which faced the Athletics later that evening.
Baltimore’s offense had managed just a single run over its prior three contests against Boston, but Cleveland’s starter Joey Cantillo could not keep the Orioles in check. He allowed three hits, issued five walks, and plunked two batters over just 2 1/3 innings, as Baltimore jumped out to a 4-0 lead despite stranding eight runners in the first three frames.
Orioles break losing streak as Mayo makes history
Dylan Beavers got the scoring started in the second inning with an RBI double, before Mayo added a solo shot in the third. Baltimore then loaded the bases against reliever Franco Aleman, with Blaze Alexander working a patient 11-pitch walk and Pete Alonso following with another free pass to extend the lead to 4-0.
Mayo struck once more in the sixth, sending a two-run blast over the fence for his first career multi-homer game. His home run off Cantillo also pushed his season total against left-handed pitching to 16, the most in the majors, while his overall homer count now sits at 21.
Cleveland finally got on the board in the sixth when Jo Adell’s soft double landed just inside the right-field line, driving in the Guardians’ first run. Mayo’s second homer then restored Baltimore’s three-run cushion.
Cantillo came into the game tied for the MLB lead with 77 walks, and his command issues proved costly as the Orioles capitalized early.
Trevor Rogers powers Baltimore to victory
Rogers kept Cleveland quiet for most of his time on the mound. Steven Kwan opened the game with a groundball single up the middle, but was quickly erased on a double play, and Rogers retired every other batter he faced until the Guardians strung together three consecutive two-out hits in the sixth.
The contrast between the two starters was especially clear in the early innings. Cantillo and Aleman combined to throw 102 pitches through the first three frames, just two fewer than Rogers needed to complete 7 1/3 innings of work.
Cleveland attempted a late rally when pinch-hitter Nathaniel Lowe launched a three-run homer off Andrew Kittredge in the ninth. Josh Walker then came in and recorded the final out to secure his first career save.
Home plate umpire Chris Guccione exited the game in the second inning after taking a foul tip off the mask. Baltimore will next send Brandon Young, who holds a 9-3 record, to the mound Tuesday night against Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee, who sits at 5-15.