Orioles’ postseason clinch put off at least another day with 6-4 loss to Tigers in 10 innings
BALTIMORE—The Orioles learned on Saturday that it was possible for them to clinch a playoff berth late in the day. If they beat the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night, they’d be guaranteed of at least a wild-card spot.
Trailing by two runs heading in the bottom on the ninth, the Orioles scored two to tie but squandered a chance to win with second and third and none out. A groundout by Cedric Mullins, a popout by Anthony Santander and a fly ball by Colton Cowser sent the game into overtime.
In the top of the 10th, Yennier Cano (4-3) allowed two runs and the Oriole couldn’t answer, so the clinching must wait at least another day as the Detroit Tigers beat the Orioles, 6-4, in 10 innings before 39,647 at Camden Yards.
Riley Greene’s RBI single scored automatic runner Mark Vierling and Zach McKinstry’s sacrifice fly scored Greene.
Beau Brieske (3-4), who was the opener in two of the Orioles’ games in Detroit last weekend, worked two scoreless innings.
After Adley Rutschman grounded out to second, automatic runner Colton Cowser moved to third. Liván Soto walked and Heston Kjerstad struck out. Daniel Johnson grounded out to second to end the game, another frustrating loss for the Orioles.
With the score tied at 2 in the top of the eighth, Cionel Pérez allowed singles to the first three Tigers (81-74) and two scored.
Vierling and Greene singled and Jake Rogers singled over Jackson Holliday’s glove at second to score Vierling. It’s possible Holliday was screened by the second base umpire and didn’t pick up the ball until it was too late to make a play. Off the bat, it appeared to be a double-play ball.
Colt Keith hit a sacrifice fly with Seranthony Domínguez pitching, and the Tigers had a 4-2 lead.
Sean Foley allowed singles by Kjerstad and Emmanuel Rivera to begin the ninth. Holliday walked to load the bases. Gunnar Henderson, who’d been named Most Valuable Oriole earlier in the day, lined a double to center to score Kjerstad and Johnson to tie the score at 4. It appeared the Orioles were on the verge of victory in a game in which they didn’t play well overall, but Holliday and Henderson remained on second and third.
In the bottom of the second, the Orioles (86-69) loaded the bases with one out against Detroit starter Reese Olson. Rivera’s sacrifice fly scored Rutschman.
Rutschman and Ryan O’Hearn singled with one out against Matt Hurter, who threw 5 2/3 no-hit innings against the Orioles on September 13th. Kjerstad singled to left and Greene’s throw home was in plenty to time to prevent Rutschman from scoring.
For the second straight start, Cade Povich allowed two runs on two hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out seven.
In the second inning, Greene led off with a walk, and Todd Sweeney doubled with two outs. Both runs scored on Dillon Dingler’s triple.
The Orioles tied the score at 2 in the bottom of the sixth when Rivera’s RBI single scored Rutschman.