Opportunity Squandered
Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the Baltimore Orioles trailed the Detroit Tigers 4-2. A bases-loaded double by Gunnar Henderson (1 for 5, 2 B, 2 RBI), the 2024 Most Valuable Oriole, drove in two runs to tie the game at four. The opportunity was there for the taking with runners at second and third and no outs.
Cedric Mullins (1 for 5) grounded out to first base; Anthony Santander (0 for 5) popped out to short left field and had Jackson Holliday (0 for 3, BB) tagged up at third, he might have scored because Detroit’s Trey Sweeney and Riley Greene collided into one another and briefly laid on the field. Colton Cowser (1 for 5) flied out to center to send the contest to extra innings.
The Tigers scored two runs off of Yennier Cano (1.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 K) in the top of the 10th inning to retake the lead. The Orioles had runners on first and third with one out but saw the game end with a Heston Kjerstad (3 for 4, R, HBP) strikeout and a Daniel Johnson (0 for 1, R) groundout to second base, making Cano (4-3) the pitcher of record. The final score was 6-4 Detroit in 10 innings.
Adley Rutschman went 1 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a walk.
Emmanuel Rivera went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI.
Ryan O’Hearn went 1 for 2 with a walk.
Cade Povich made his 15th start of the season, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits while walking 3 and striking out 7 in 5.0 innings of work and did not factor into the decision.
Seven relievers were needed to finish out the game and it was Cionel Perez (0.0 IP, 2 R, 3 H) who allowed the Tigers to retake the lead in the eighth inning.
2024 Record: 86-69
Next Game: Sun. 9/22 vs. Detroit Tigers @ 1:35 pm