The amazing comeback win (plus Elias on the radio broadcast)

It is quite amazing, but for the third time in the last five games the Orioles produced a walk-off win last night, and each time they were down to their last out in the ninth inning and they either tied the game to extend it or, in the case of last night, scored three runs with two outs and none on to win it.

Wasn't it just a couple of days ago that the Orioles lost back-to-back walk-offs in Minnesota and were a team in a mini crisis?

Monday, on the Fourth of July, they were down by a run with one out left in the ninth when Adley Rutschman’s double tied the game and the Orioles won in 10 innings. Next night, same thing in terms of being down to the last out. Then Rougned Odor homered and they won it in 10 against Texas.

Last night there were two outs and none on bottom nine when Odor singled and stole second and third. Rutschman’s double on a 3-2 pitch pulled Baltimore within 4-3. Cedric Mullins’ RBI single on a 1-2 pitch tied it, and he reached second on the throw home. He scored the winning run on Trey Mancini’s single to left on a 3-2 pitch. The Orioles scored three in the ninth and beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-4. 

Three straight huge, clutch hits.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, via Twitter, the Orioles are the fourth team in the last 20 seasons to win three straight games in which they trailed in the ninth or later, counting the games Monday, Tuesday and last night.

This was their eighth walk-off win of the year and third of a 5-0 homestand. The Orioles (41-44) have won six in a row for the first time since they took six straight Aug. 7-13, 2020. They did not win their 41st game in 2021 until game 131 on Aug. 31.

They recorded their 18th comeback victory and second win when trailing through eight innings (2-36). They have won 10 of their last 13 games at Oriole Park, 11 of their last 16 overall, and 17 of their last 26 games overall. And they moved to within three games of .500 for the first time since April 17 (3-6).

The Orioles are 20-14 since June 1 and 34-30 since May 1.

Mancini delivered his second career walk-off hit. On June 7, 2017 versus Pittsburgh he hit a walk-off three-run homer in the 11^th inning off Wade LeBlanc. It was his fourth career game-tying or go-ahead hit in the ninth inning or later.

Elias on the radio

It was my pleasure last night to work on the radio play-by-play broadcast with Geoff Arnold and producer/engineer Kevin Reid. We had Orioles executive vice-president and general manager Mike Elias on during the broadcast. Here are a few topics that were discussed:

Elias said the O’s full-blown draft meetings are about to start, and talked about their upcoming No. 1 overall pick: “We have a draft room set up and there are more and more people (scouts and front office) filtering into Baltimore. Always an exciting time in this business.

“I think it’s more like five (on our final list for the top pick). We are going to keep it right there, right up to the decision. Part of that is because, you know, we’ve done all the scouting and gathered all the info we’re going to have coming into this week, but there is a lot of information that comes in right before the draft, so you have to be ready and have a deep enough list to react if there is some bad medical revelation or something like that."

Elias said he expects there to be a lively debate among his staff, and there will be pockets of the organization advocating for each of their five finalists. He said he has personally met with each of his final list of five players.

Elias on the Orioles playing so well lately: “It’s certainly been nice seeing the style of play and the effort from the team this year. I think, clearly, we see individual players establishing themselves this season, and the organization as a whole, in my appraisal, is in a very healthy spot. This team is very young, there is a lot of talent up here and we have these players, for the most part for many years in the future, and that is all sitting on top of an excellent farm system that has some of the very best players in minor league baseball, and we just have a good organization running right now.”

Elias on Grayson Rodriguez, who is out with a right lat strain: “He’s done well. He’s kind of flying along with the rehab. At this stage, it’s not baseball activities, it’s more indoor, kind of training-room, weight-room rehab. But I think the best news is a few days ago we got some routine reimaging done to see how it’s healing, and it looks great. I still don’t have a timetable. Because of the nature of this injury, you wait until it’s further along to see when it’s totally healed and when the throwing starts, and we’re just not there yet.”

Does DL Hall still need to check some boxes before you call him up?: “Well, yeah. The walk totals. The covering innings efficiently, not running out of pitches. He’s doing it most of the time, which is great. But still could be a little more consistent. I just think stringing a couple of good outings in a row will go a long way.”