The Baltimore Orioles scored a trio of runs in the sixth inning to defeat the Seattle Mariners (32-29) 4-3 on Thursday afternoon. With the win the Orioles extended their winning streak to six games and have now swept back-to-back series. The Orioles are now 9-2 over a span of eleven games and have won five one-run games during that span.
What a week it has been. The Colorado Rockies, formerly 9-50, swept a three game series and the Orioles, formerly 19-36, swept two three game series, although one was against the AL worst Chicago White Sox.
Thursday’s win started where all wins do, according to Hall of Fame Pitcher and Broadcaster Jim Palmer, with good starting pitching. Zach Eflin (5-2) gave the team another quality start, his sixth in seven starts, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits and striking out 7 over 6.0 innings. Eflin earned the win despite getting tagged by Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (2 for 4, HR, R, 3 RBI), who homered off him in the fifth and knocked all of the Mariners’ runs in.
Once again the bullpen was lights out. Keegan Akin (1.0 IP, K), Andrew Kittredge (1.0 IP, 2 K) and Bryan Baker (1.0 IP, H, 2 K) held the Mariners in check with Baker recording his second save.
The Orioles got on the board by playing small ball in the third inning. Maverick Handley (0 for 2, R, BB) led off the frame with a walk, advanced to second on a one-out wild pitch, advanced to third by tagging up on a fly ball out to center field and scored on a second wild pitch.
In contrast, the eventual winning runs were scored in the sixth via the long ball. Adley Rutschman (3 for 4, HR, R, 2 RBI) and Gunnar Henderson (1 for 4, HR, R, RBI) hit back-to-back homeruns to plate three runs. Rutschman’s homerun followed a Jackson Holliday (0 for 3, R, BB) lead-off walk and Henderson’s was a solo shot.
Going back-to-back
Send them to ATL: https://t.co/Uogu5dME6O pic.twitter.com/n3MgPNwdg1
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) June 5, 2025
Ryan O’Hearn and Emmanuel Rivera both went 1 for 4: Rivera’s hit was a double.
On this day the Orioles proved the baseball adage that it is what happens after a lead-off walk that hurts you.
2025 Record: 25-36
Next Game: Fri. 6/6 @ 10:05 pm vs. Athletics in Sacramento, CA