Mountcastle homers three times, but Jays rally in ninth (updated)

A feel-good win and a six-homer day by the Orioles - with three from Ryan Mountcastle - blew up on the team in the ninth today, as the Toronto Blue Jays scored six runs in the inning to stun the Orioles 10-7 and quiet what was a boisterous crowd of 10,721.

It was a gut punch loss times 10.

They were one out away in the ninth, but lefty Paul Fry allowed a bases-loaded walk to Marcus Semien and it was 7-5. Fry, who entered with a 1.78 ERA, allowed two singles and walk around a fly out and strikeout before issuing the bases-loaded walk.

Rookie Tyler Wells was summoned to try and get the last out. He could not before the Blue Jays broke through. Bo Bichette's two-run single to right on the ninth pitch tied it and was just off the glove of Anthony Santander, who made a diving attempt. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with a two-run double and Randal Grichuk with an RBI double.

Five runs scored in a span of four pitches. The hits were coming fast and the game was blown. Toronto won 10-7 to end a five-game losing streak and send the Orioles (23-47) to their ninth loss in 10 games.

Earlier, O's right-hander Dean Kremer threw a strong game, Toronto right-hander Alek Manoah gave up four homers and got ejected and there was a benches-clearing incident. And Cedric Mullins homered again. And then hit a second. Yes, again.

But Mountcastle topped all of that.

He homered in the second inning. He homered in fourth. He homered in the sixth.

It was the first three-homer game by an Oriole since Pedro Severino at Texas on June 4, 2019. The last time before that was by Manny Machado on Aug. 18, 2017. This was the 24th time in club history there had been a three-homer game. But Mountcastle joined Nick Markakis as the only players to do so as rookies. Markakis connected for three on Aug. 22, 2006.

Batting in the eighth, looking to become the first Oriole to ever hit four homers in a game, Mountcastle lined a single to center. So he goes 4-for-4 with four RBIs and the four hits tied his career high.

When Mullins homered in the seventh, it was the 11th time in a club history a player had produced two straight two-homer games. Pedro Álvarez was the last in 2018.

That put the Orioles in front 7-4 and they were three outs away from a two-game win streak and possible Sunday series sweep. But then the ninth-inning collapse happened.

It was eventful this afternoon at Camden Yards.

The bottom of the fourth included two Orioles homers, one high-and-tight pitch that followed and a benches-clearing situation that led to the ejection of Manoah.

The O's fourth began with a 2-2 tie after each team homered twice. Trey Mancini drew a leadoff walk, and one out later, Mountcastle lined a two-run homer down the left field line for his second homer of the day and a 4-2 lead. Mountcastle got a first-pitch slider for No. 11.

He was not done.

Batting next, DJ Stewart crushed a 94 mph fastball way out to right-center field and it was 5-2. Stewart's homer, his seventh, traveled 437 feet, 10 short of the longest homer this year by an Oriole, which was Mountcastle versus Cleveland on June 5.

That made it four homers the O's had hit in 3 1/3 innings off Toronto rookie right-hander Manoah, their first-round pick, No. 11 overall, out of West Virginia University in 2019. He was making his fifth big league start today and he went 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA in the first four.

Manoah had given up just three homers over 20 1/3 big league innings, and none in his last two games, when he held the White Sox and Red Sox to a combined two runs in 11 innings

But he ran into trouble today, both against the Orioles also for what he did after Stewart's mammoth blast.

Manoah threw a pitch that hit third baseman Maikel Franco around his shoulder. The benches and bullpens cleared, but there were no punches thrown, and for the most part, cooler heads prevailed after a few minutes.

When order was restored warnings were issues to both benches and Manoah had his first career ejection. He allowed five runs and four hits over 3 1/3 innings with his homer total jumping from three allowed to seven. He threw 69 pitches and his ERA jumped from 2.66 to 4.18.

The Orioles hit six homers on the day, their most since six against Houston Aug. 18, 2016, and it was the 20th time in club history they hit six or more in a game.

The team record in one game is eight by the Orioles on June 16, 2015 versus Philadelphia.

Mountcastle hit his third, a solo shot in the seventh, and Mullins added his second in the seventh.

The teams exchanged home runs early in the game with Toronto hitting two in the first off Kremer and the Orioles got one in second and third off Manoah.

Toronto came out swinging with a pair of homers in the first to lead 2-0. Semien led off the game and blasted No. 17 for his 11th career leadoff homer. Two batters later, Guerrero smoked No. 23 to center field for a 2-0 lead on a ball that went 416 feet.

Kremer had an ERA of 3.60 when pitching in the first inning this year and had allowed just one homer in 43 plate appearances in the opening inning before today.

The Orioles pulled even on homers by Mountcastle in the second and Mullins in the third.

And after the shaky first, Kremer did not allow a hit through the sixth in an outstanding outing. He gave up three hits and two runs and was seeking his first win since his major league debut.

He was an out away from getting it today.

Manager Brandon Hyde on the ninth: "We had a three-run lead and Paul Fry has been really good for us. Has pitched well. A walk, couple of hits and walk in a run there, and they have their two best hitters coming up. I thought Tyler Wells was throwing great to Bichette and give Bichette credit for an amazing at-bat. Put the ball in the play on a tough slider down and away after a bunch of foul balls. Just a little bit out of our reach there to tie the game. Seemed like it took a little bit of the air out of the balloon for Wellsy. Hung a couple of pitches there after that. Yeah, tough one."

Hyde on the benches clearing incident and whether pitch that hit Franco was intentional: "We were getting our team back and then there was something said that I didn't appreciate. So that's what happened. We got calmed down and got back in the dugout.

"Yeah, I did."

Hyde on Mountcastle's day: "He took some really good swings today. Three homers. Couple of breaking ball homers. Got a fastball there that fourth at-bat and a line single to left. So really good at-bats from him today. Fun to watch him hit. I thought he was swinging at strikes, getting pitches to drive and was on top of it."

Mountcastle on his day: "I did it (three homers) twice in the minor leagues. I'd probably say the one that just snuck out (was my favorite). It was a down-and-in front-door slider. I stayed on it pretty well and snuck it over the wall.

"I've never done that before. I've never hit four in a game or anything. I got a pretty good pitch to hit there, just didn't get enough loft on it. I'll take a single any day of the week.

Kremer on his good outing: "It's a little disappointing, but it's not something that I really have control over. If I'm out of the game, I'm out of the game. Have to do my job and let the guys take it from there. Have a lot of faith in our bullpen. They've done well over the course of the year."