Rich Dubroff

McCann’s 2-run, 2-out 9th-inning single lifts Orioles to 4-3 win after a 5-hour delay

BALTIMORE—Because of the rain that’s pelted the area this week, the Orioles and Kansas City Royals didn’t begin until 6:05 p.m., five hours after its scheduled start, and it was a chilly 46 degrees at first pitch.

Several hundred hardy fans were on hand for the start, and they were rewarded when the Orioles pulled out a 4-3 walk-off win over the Royals on James McCann’s two-out, two-run single on Wednesday. The announced crowd was 11,488.

It was the Orioles’ second walk-off win in three games against the Royals. Jordan Westburg’s ninth-inning home run lifted them to a 6-4 win on Monday.

Ryan Mountcastle walked and Anthony Santander singled to begin the ninth against Will Smith (0-2). Jordan Westburg’s sacrifice bunt moved them up a base, and Austin Hays was walked intentionally. Colton Cowser was called out on strikes, and McCann singled to left to score Mountcastle and pinch-runner Cedric Mullins.

Yennier Cano (1-0) was the winner.

Corbin Burnes, who was sharp in last week’s opener, when he allowed one run on one hit — Mike Trout’s home run — in six innings, gave up two runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Salvador Perez had RBI singles in the first and third innings against Burnes  and for the second straight game, the Orioles’ offense was punchless until the eighth inning.

After being held to three hits on Tuesday night, the Orioles (4-2) had just one hit in the first seven innings.

Royals left-hander Cole Ragans gave up just one in 6 1/3 innings. Adley Rutschman’s fourth-inning double was the Orioles’ first hit.

Ragans retired 18 of 19 until Rutschman and Mountcastle walked to begin the Orioles’ seventh, and Ragans was replaced by James McArthur after Santander struck out.

Maikel Garcia homered against Mike Baumann to begin the seventh.

Colton Cowser singled and McCann doubled to begin the bottom of the eighth, and Cowser scored on Gunnar Henderson’s sacrifice fly.  Rutschman singled to right to score McCann, but Rutschman was tagged out at second, and the Orioles trailed 3-2 after eight.

Rich Dubroff

Rich Dubroff grew up in Brooklyn as a fan of New York teams, but after he moved to Baltimore, quickly adopted the Orioles and Colts. After nearly two decades as a freelancer assisting on Orioles coverage for several outlets, principally The Capital in Annapolis and The Carroll County Times, Dubroff began covering the team fulltime in 2011. He spent five years at Comcast SportsNet’s website and for the last two seasons, wrote for PressBoxonline.com, Dubroff lives in Baltimore with his wife of more than 30 years, Susan.

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Rich Dubroff

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