Orioles Secure 8-5 Victory Over Diamondbacks With a Decisive Sixth Inning

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Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg delivered pivotal doubles in a four-run surge during the sixth inning, effectively widening the margin in a closely contested game and steering the Baltimore Orioles to an 8-5 triumph over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

The Orioles clinched two of the three matches in the series, securing victories in the last two games.

The Diamondbacks, on the other hand, have suffered defeats in five of their last six outings. Currently, Arizona is ensnared in a three-way deadlock with the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins for the last available spot in the National League wild-card playoffs, all sporting a 70-67 season record.

The Orioles shattered a 4-4 deadlock during the critical sixth inning. Initiating the offensive was Ryan O’Hearn, who launched a leadoff double to deep center field and was subsequently driven home by a Cedric Mullins single. Westburg, entering the game as a pinch hitter, contributed an RBI double along the left-field line, and Rutschman’s subsequent double drove in an additional two runs, extending the lead to 8-4.

The scoring surge led to the exit of Arizona’s key pitcher, Zac Gallen (14-7), who is a front-runner in the NL Cy Young award race. Gallen had a subpar performance for a consecutive start, relinquishing five runs on eight hits over 5 and 1/3 innings. The right-handed pitcher registered four strikeouts and issued one walk.

Arizona initially lagged behind at 4-1 after two innings but managed a comeback with a single run in the third inning and another two in the fifth, equalizing the score. Corbin Carroll, a rookie whose solo home run narrowed the gap to 4-2, was the one to score the game-leveling run due to a wild pitch by Orioles’ Jack Flaherty.

Flaherty conceded four runs on six hits across 4 and 2/3 innings, recording seven strikeouts and one walk.

O’Hearn was instrumental in commencing the Orioles’ scoring, delivering a two-run single with two outs in the first inning, establishing a 2-0 lead. The Diamondbacks reduced this lead when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. executed a solo home run—his 22nd of the season and second in the series.

For the Orioles, Mullins tallied three hits, while Gunnar Henderson, Ramon Urias, Adam Frazier, and O’Hearn each contributed two. Danny Coulombe (5-1) was credited with the win, delivering 1 and 1/3 innings of scoreless relief pitching.

Arizona’s Christian Walker contributed a solo home run in the ninth, his 30th of the season, narrowing the Orioles’ lead to 8-5.

A Double Play That Fell Short

In what appeared to be a setup for a double play during the fifth inning, the Orioles failed to secure even a single out. Henderson fielded a ground ball but narrowly missed tagging Geraldo Perdomo, who deftly dodged the tag and proceeded to second base. Henderson’s subsequent throw to first was beaten by the swift Carroll. Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde challenged the safe calls, but video replays corroborated the initial judgments, contributing to Arizona’s two-run rally that equalized the score at 4-4.

Injury and Illness Update

Orioles’ first baseman Ryan Mountcastle resumed his role as cleanup hitter after missing two consecutive games due to illness.

For the Diamondbacks, Walker was absent from Sunday’s initial lineup after being struck on the right elbow by a pitch during Saturday’s game. Outfielder Tommy Pham was also excluded from Sunday’s lineup for unspecified reasons.

Upcoming Games

The Orioles are slated to compete against the Angels in a three-game series commencing Monday. Baltimore will start with right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (4-3, 5.03 ERA), while the Angels will initiate with left-handed pitcher Kenny Rosenberg (0-0, 6.43 ERA).

Conversely, the Diamondbacks will host the Rockies in a three-game series, also starting Monday. Merrill Kelly (10-6, 3.31 ERA) will open the series as Arizona’s starting pitcher.

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AP MLB: https://bigbignews.net/MLB

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More about Game-changing inning

• Baltimore Orioles Official Website
• Arizona Diamondbacks Official Website
• MLB Game Recap
• Zac Gallen Cy Young Contender
• Jack Flaherty Pitching Stats
• Orioles’ Manager Brandon Hyde
• Cedric Mullins Player Profile
• Grayson Rodriguez Pitching Stats
• Merrill Kelly Pitching Stats