Cowser covers lots of firsts in Orioles' 6-3 victory (updated)

NEW YORK – The towering fly ball to Colton Cowser tonight in the first inning drew a roar from the Yankee Stadium crowd but didn’t get close to the warning track in left field. Cowser camped under it and waited, a 44-degree launch angle providing time for fans to realize their mistake.

Next came the first at-bat, with one out in the second inning. Cowser fell behind 1-2, twice taking changeups for strikes, and lined a curveball 107.7 mph to shortstop Anthony Volpe.

Cowser was checking boxes in his major league debut. Getting the firsts out of the way. Happy for the chance to play and maybe step back from the spotlight in the coming days.

One swing took care of two more.

Cowser lined an RBI single into right field in the sixth inning after the Orioles put runners on the corners with one out against left-handed reliever Nick Ramirez, and he crossed the plate for the first time on Jordan Westburg’s two-run triple.

The Orioles needed a jolt, and they received it tonight in a 6-3 win over the Yankees before an announced crowd of 36,022.

Dean Kremer struck out a career-high 10 batters in seven innings, and the Orioles won their 50^th game, a total they didn’t reach last season until July 28.

Volpe greeted Yennier Cano with a home run in the eighth inning, but Félix Bautista stranded an inherited runner and registered the four-out save. Ryan O’Hearn provided breathing room with a two-run homer off Jan Hamilton in the ninth after Adley Rutschman doubled.

Cowser fell behind 1-2 in each of his first three at-bats. He grounded softly to second base in the fourth inning and batted again in the sixth after starter Randy Vásquez came out of the game.

Cedric Mullins doubled off Ramirez with one out, his sixth hit in 38 at-bats since leaving the injured list, and he reached third base on Aaron Hicks’ infield single. Cowser lined a sweeper into right field, Michael King came out of the bullpen, and Westburg produced his first major league triple.

"That was awesome," Cowser said. "I wish he would have split the gap a little bit more so I didn't have to stop, but he put a good swing on it. He's a great guy in the clubhouse. Just glad he's here with me."

"It's hard not to smile when he's on the field," Westburg said. "It was a special night, not only for him, but just to be reunited with him. I know it was kind of a short time off, but really special night. So happy for him. I'm happy that he's here and we're both excited and hoping to make an impact on this team."

Westburg is the more stoic of the two, and Cowser almost takes it as a challenge.

"He's just such a goofball, it's kind of hard for me to not smile at him," Westburg said. "I mean, I'm not a super serious guy, I just don't smile as much as maybe the next person. But he brings it out of me. He knows how to get me to laugh and keep it light."

The lead grew to 4-2 when Westburg beat Volpe’s throw home on Adam Frazier’s ground ball.

The night had room for one more first. Cowser led off the eighth inning with a walk.

"Really nice debut," said manager Brandon Hyde. "He played a really good game his first game."

Cowser surveyed his surroundings as he stepped out of the dugout and jogged to left field.

"It was cool, it was awesome," he said before meeting up with family and friends. "A cool ballpark, kind of soaked it in, and once I did that, I took a moment and then was like, 'All right, let's go.'

"Honestly, I was more nervous the wait before the game. Once I got through just my daily schedule, I was like, 'Same game, just go out and play.'"

Later came the messy team ritual for a new player who contributes.

"Yeah, for sure they welcomed me," he said, smiling. "That's all I'll say."

Cowser had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk because he was ready – he had been for a while, but a quad injury delayed his arrival – and he was viewed as capable of assisting in the playoff push.

“We wanted to get Colton up here,” Hyde said earlier today. “These are important games, and every game matters right now. We’re only going to bring guys up here that we feel like can help us win.”

Reliever Nick Vespi knows exactly what Cowser can offer. He has seen it in Triple-A.

“He’s a very mature hitter,” Vespi said. “His approaches were impressive. He’s an awesome guy and you would think he’s already been up here before, how talented he is. I’m really happy for him.”

Gunnar Henderson, a close friend, said his advice to Cowser was “catching him up on the lifestyle of, like, knowing how to dress here.”

Collars are important.

Anything else?

“Just go out there and be yourself,” he said. “You can put as much pressure as you want, but that’s not going to help you, and I feel like he’s the type of guy to not go out there and put any pressure. Just going to go out there and be himself, and that’s what you want when a guy comes up from the minor leagues is to come up and do what he’s doing to get himself to this point.”

Kremer retired 12 of the first 13 batters with six strikeouts. Josh Donaldson led off the fifth with an opposite-field home run, the 20^th allowed by Kremer this season.

The game was delayed with two outs and umpires ordered players off the field after Henderson’s high throw on an attempted double play sailed into the first base camera well and struck YES Network crew member Pete Stendel in the head.

Stendel was strapped to a backboard and lifted onto a cart. He held up two fingers and then made the “hang loose” gesture as fans and both dugouts applauded. The other hand was used to hold a compress to his head.

"Every time that a ball goes over the first baseman, or even a foul ball from the hitter, you don't want to see it going toward a fan," Henderson said. "It just happened to be in the wrong spot. I hope he's doing all right. My prayers go out to him, and I'm just thankful for the guys who rushed over there to him do help him."

"That was a scary moment," Hyde said. "That was tough to watch, and hopefully he's OK.

Kremer’s third pitch to Kyle Higashioka after play resumed was lined into right field for an RBI single and 2-0 lead. Kremer was charged with one earned run and four hits, walked one batter and lowered his ERA to 4.78. The 18 whiffs also were a personal record.

"That is a start we needed. So good," Hyde said.

"Shows you the pitcher he's got the ability to be. Tough environment. Love the way he grinded through that seventh inning after a two-out walk. That's one thing we can improve on. But outstanding through seven innings. Besides the cutter there to Donaldson for the homer, he had all his pitches going tonight."

Strikeouts were recorded with his sinker, changeup, cutter and four-seam fastball. The last completed a seven-pitch at-bat against Isiah Kiner-Falefa and left his count at 103.

"I think I had everything kind of working," Kremer said, "and then Adley and I and the team had a pretty good approach to what we wanted to execute tonight."

Asked if there's anything specific he wants to improve on, Kremer replied, "Keeping the ball in the yard."

The Orioles stranded two runners in the first inning against Vásquez, recalled today to make his third major league start. A two-out walk to Westburg in the second was followed by Frazier’s fly ball, and Henderson led off the third with a single and was doubled off first base on Rutschman’s fly ball to right field.

Anthony Santander reached on an automatic double and O’Hearn walked, but Mullins struck out.

Frazier was awarded first base on catcher’s interference leading off the fifth, and he became the sixth runner stranded. But the Orioles didn’t waste another opportunity in the sixth inning.

Cowser and Westburg were in the middle of it. Top prospects shining beneath the lights on the biggest stage.

And more are coming.

“Hats off to the scouting department,” Henderson said. “They’ve had a lot of great guys, even down still at the Triple-A level. There’s major league talent there, and now you’re seeing it up here, and it’s real cool to have a bunch of really close friends come up and be able to play together at this stage.”

“It’s awesome,” Vespi said. “The talent that Mike (Elias) has brought to this organization, it’s impressive. All these hitters are very similar, and they mash.”

"These guys are great," Kremer said. "Westy's a hell of a player. I've only gotten to see Cowser for a little bit in spring. From what I've seen in Triple-A on videos and stuff, he's going to be the real deal. Gunnar and Adley, you guys know that we've got a bright future here."

* Rutschman is seeded eighth in the Home Run Derby and will compete against top seed Luis Robert in the first round.

* Kyle Stowers hit a pair of two-run homers with High-A Aberdeen, singled and drove in five runs on his injury rehab assignment. Jackson Holliday had five hits and scored five runs. Dylan Beavers, Silas Ardoin and Max Wagner homered. Creed Willems had three hits and four RBIs.

The IronBirds collected 20 hits and defeated Greensboro 16-14.

Heston Kjerstad led off for Norfolk, singled in his first three at-bats, homered and walked. Shayne Fontana homered twice and singled. Connor Norby doubled twice, singled and drove in two runs. Ryan Mountcastle had a single and double on his rehab assignment. César Prieto was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Drew Rom allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

TT Bowens doubled and homered for Double-A Bowie.

Elio Prado, Carter Young, Samuel Basallo and Noelberth Romero each had two hits for Single-A Delmarva.