Orioles rally late and defeat Angels 5-4 to extend winning streak to six games (updated)

Mike Trout stood at home plate tonight and twisted his body as if trying to make his fly ball stay fair down the left field line. Willing it with his torso.

Tyler Wells turned his head, hoping for a different result.

Trout circled the bases with a three-run homer, receiving confirmation in the dugout after a crew chief review, and Wells had allowed his largest offensive output in five starts with just one pitch.

Then the Orioles did what they always seem to, get up off the floor while picking up their starter if he has an off night.

Four consecutive two-strike hits with two outs in the ninth. A clubhouse trying to explain how this happens. A manager just so proud that it does.

The Orioles scored a run in the seventh and eighth and tied the game in the ninth on a two-out, run-scoring double by Adley Rutschman off Raisel Iglesias and Cedric Mullins' single into center field. 

Trey Mancini lined the seventh pitch he saw into left field to score Mullins and spiked his helmet as he rounded first base, the Orioles extending their winning streak to six games - the first of its kind since 2020 - in a 5-4 victory over the Angels before an announced crowd of 27,814 at Camden Yards on Floppy Hat Night.

The fans were brimming with excitement, but the Angels did their finest to try to dampen the mood before the rain arrived.

They failed miserably in that mission.

"Just a great team win," said manager Brandon Hyde.

"We had a never-die attitude in the dugout and guys were into it, and it was fun to watch those guys come through. It's a real encouraging group. There's no doubt about it. They're behind each other all the way. It's the loudest dugout we've had since I've been here.

"Even though we were pretty empty going into that seventh inning, there was still a positive vibe that we could come back, and we came through."

The volume was cranked again when Rutschman doubled with two outs in the ninth to plate Rougned Odor, who singled as a late entry into the game, and Mullins came through, as well.

"We need to have more Floppy Hat Nights," Hyde said. "That was an awesome crowd. Let's repeat it. That felt like there were a ton of people there. It was a great crowd, they were into it. Inspires our guys. I know our guys love to play in front of loud crowds and great fans, and it was fun to give the fans something to cheer about after the game."

"It was so exciting, one of the best wins I've been a part of in my time here," said Mancini, who had two hits and remained unsure of his future in the organization with the trade deadline approaching next month. "I'm guessing it was one of our top crowds of the year. It was a great energy, the fans brought it all night, and we fed off that, especially late. It was just an amazing comeback for us.

"It was unbelievable to be a part of a great team win for us."

Mancini produced his second-career walk-off hit, the other in 2017 versus the Pirates when he hit a three-run homer off Wade LeBlanc in the 11th. It was his fourth career game-tying or go-ahead hit in the ninth inning or later, the last a go-ahead solo homer off Hansel Robles in the ninth on July 25, 2019 in Anaheim.

"We're cheering each other on," he said. "It's been a really lively dugout this year, way more so than the other years I've been here."

"The more you win, the more you win in different ways, the more experience you have with it," Hyde said. "You know you're never out of a game. We've won different ways this year and I think that gives guys confidence. We had a great keep-the-line-moving attitude."

Wells allowed three runs in his last four outings over 22 innings. His last three-run night, on June 11, still produced a quality start in Kansas City.

The Orioles scored six to get him the win. They managed just two hits tonight in six shutout innings against left-hander Reid Detmers, who was demoted to the minors a month after throwing a no-hitter.

Mancini singled with one out in the first, and the Orioles didn’t get another hit until Robinson Chirinos reached on an infield single with two outs in the fifth.

Reliever José Quijada began the seventh by allowing a single to Austin Hays and walking Anthony Santander, who also drew a free pass in the second and now has 33 on the season. Ramón Urías singled to score Hays, with Santander hustling to third on the throw.

The next three batters struck out, including pinch-hitter Rutschman on seven pitches after fans chanted his name and got their wish, giving him a standing ovation as he stepped to the plate with two outs.

Mullins led off the eighth with a double against Ryan Tepera, raced to third on Mancini’s fly ball to deep left and scored on Ryan Mountcastle’s single up the middle to reduce the lead to 3-2. But Hays and Santander struck out.

Shohei Ohtani homered off Dillon Tate with two outs in the ninth, the ball eluding Mullins’ glove as it rose above the fence. But the Orioles didn't flinch.

Rutschman got another opportunity with two outs in the ninth after Odor singled and took second and third base uncontested. Rutschman drove a ball into the right-center field gap to keep fans on their feet. Mancini sent them into a frenzy. And the Orioles are three games below .500 for the first time since April 23.

They became the fourth team in the last 20 seasons to win three straight after being behind entering the ninth inning or later, per ESPN Stats and Info. Tonight marked their eight walk-off win, two behind the Yankees for most in the majors.

"It's an incredible balance that we have," Mancini said. "We have a lot of young, exciting players that bring a lot of energy, and some of us older guys who have been around for a while, we feed off those guys, but we also try to provide advice from our years of playing. It's meshed really, really well this year. It's been a really good atmosphere and great team camaraderie."

"I'm always about balance," Wells said. "I think that we have such a good balance of young talent and guys who have been around for so long, that have a lot of wisdom and experience. I'm big on experience, and that's why I gravitate toward (John) Means and (Jordan) Lyles a lot on the pitching staff. I think it is such a good balance of experience and youth, that things are really working out very well right now. And I think a lot of the really good teams that you see in the majors are a combination of that.

"I can't compliment the guys enough right now."

Rutschman batted for Jorge Mateo in the seventh rather than Chirinos with one out. He stayed in the game and caught Beau Sulser while the right-hander stranded two runners in the eighth.

Bryan Baker entered in the top of the fifth after Wells was charged with three runs and six hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. His ERA rose from 3.09 to 3.28 after his shortest outing since also going four innings on June 4 against the Guardians.

Trout greeted Baker with a line-drive single into left. He’s pretty good.

Ohtani flied to the left field wall, a home run in past seasons, of course. He’s also good.

Wells put at least one runner on base in all four innings.

Trout lined a two-strike pitch into left field in the first, Ohtani grounded into a force, and Chirinos threw out Ohtani trying to steal.

Taylor Ward led off the second by reaching on an infield hit and raced to third base on Jared Walsh’s ground ball to the right side, with Taylor Nevin late getting to the bag in the shift. Wells retired Michael Stefanic on a shallow fly ball to right and Luis Rengifo on a popup.

Max Stassi walked to lead off the third, former Oriole Jonathan Villar singled with one out and Trout turned an 87 mph slider into his 24^th home run, which came shortly after he earned his 10^th career All-Star selection.

Trout has hit 23 home runs against the Orioles in 62 games.

Wells threw 15 pitches in the first and 12 in the second, but needed 36 to make it through the third, which also included a single, walk and mound visit from pitching coach Chris Holt.

A two-out single by Brandon Marsh in the fourth led to a stolen base, Chirinos' throwing error and Villar's strikeout. An 18-pitch inning to leave Wells at 81.

Tonight can be viewed through a positive prism as a break of sorts for Wells while the Orioles closely monitor his innings. A ramp down, as it were.

And he happily took the no-decision.

"Honestly, it means the world," he said. "I think it's just a testament to how we've been playing lately. I think it shows kind of how we are as a team. Right now, everyone's picking everyone up, whether it's the offense or the pitching. What happened tonight is just showing it in its truest form and they came up huge for me.

"It's belief in your team. They've picked me up multiple times this season. I've been on a good string of starts so far and tonight I wasn't my sharpest, I wasn't my best, and they picked me up whenever I needed it most. And obviously, it was a great team win. Big hit by Trey in the end and it was awesome to see."

Baker had a scoreless inning, and Keegan Akin struck out three in 1 2/3 scoreless, with Sulser stranding an inherited runner by striking out Ward.

Sulser didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3. Tate retired the first two batters on fly balls to Mullins, but a third went a little too far.

Tate was credited with the win. The Orioles picked him up, too.

"The older guys are holding us younger guys accountable," Wells said. "It's all about dugout energy, it's all about speaking up, being there for your teammates when you need them. Much like tonight. There is no quit in this team, and the older, experienced guys will not let us just kind of roll over and die. And it's not that we would, but it's that they're holding us accountable for that. Because they will tell us if we are, and if they think so.

"We may not think that's the case, but they see it differently. They've been around a lot longer than we have. So it's constant learning as young guys, and I think they've done a hell of a job doing that, holding us accountable for everything."

Note: Matt Harvey made his first start with Triple-A Norfolk and was charged with two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, with four walks and three strikeouts. He threw 98 pitches, 61 for strikes.

Tim Naughton let an inherited runner score.

Jordan Westburg hit a three-run homer.