On Monday night, 15,740 fans watched the Baltimore Orioles fall to their AL East rival, the Boston Red Sox (72-60) by a score of 4-3. Hoping to play the role of spoiler in both the AL East and Wild Card races, the Orioles could not hold onto a two run lead nor could they mount a late game comeback.
The attendance is significant because the Baltimore region has seen many jurisdictions return to school so the yearly complaints about a lack of attendance will be countered by school night, homework and youth sports practices will begin in earnest.
Back to the game. Boston opened the game and the scoring with a lead-off homerun by Roman Anthony. A three-run homerun with one out by Jarren Duran in the fifth inning completed Boeton’s scoring.
The Orioles countered those homeruns with one of their own, a second inning solo homerun by Colton Cowser. Cowser followed that up with a bases loaded two-RBI single in the third inning. A walk, a hit batter and another walk preceded Cowser’s hit; Cowser went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI on the night. If only he had gotten any more offensive help, the game’s outcome may have been different. Jeremiah Jackson, Gunnar Henderson (double) and Dylan Carlson (double) were the only other Birds to record a hit against a quartet of Boston pitchers.
Cowser crushed
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— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 25, 2025
Baltimore just couldn’t string hits together on Monday. Carlson’s lead-off double in the seventh inning resulted in a goose egg as did Henderson’s lead-off double in the eighth. The eighth inning was especially disappointing because Henderson ran the bases so as not to be denied second base. His emotion was real upon reaching second but the Orioles went down with three straight strikeouts by Ryan Mountcastle, Coby Mayo and Cowser. The Orioles went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position on the night.
Interim Manager Tony Mansolino had this to say about the failure to score in those situations, “Wasn’t disappointed in the at-bats by any means. I thought the at-bats were solid. Just wasn’t able to get those two runners at second over to third base, and can’t do that. It’s hard to win in this league.”
Henderson made the catch of the night in the fourth with a back to the plate, over the shoulder catch in short center of a Nathaniel Lowe flyball.
He’s Gunna catch ’em all
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— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 25, 2025
Starter Tomoyuki Sugano (10-6) was tagged with the loss despite allowing 4 runs on 6 hits over 6.0 innings. He walked 2 and struck out 6 but unfortunately 2 of the 6 hits he allowed left the yard.
Through his interpreter Yuto Sakurai, Sugano assessed his start this way, “Obviously, they looked over my data from my last start, so I was kind of seeing what their approach was and going about my business. I think they had an approach for pitches down, especially for the left-handed hitters, particularly the splitter. I think they were kind of like focusing on that pitch.”
Reliever Grant Wolfram looked solid in a 2.0 inning, 2 strikeout appearance and Corbin Martin allowed a hit and struck out 3 in the ninth inning. Martin was fired up when he ended the inning, mainly because he got himself out of a runner on third situation due to his own throwing error on a pick off attempt at first, but a meek bottom of the ninth (flyout, groundout, flyout) extinguished that fire.
For those that it still matters to, the Orioles are tied with the Athletics at 10.5 GB in the Wild Card race with the A’s having a 0.5 game better record over the Birds.
2025 Record: 60-71
Next Game: Tues. 8/26 @ 6:35 pm vs. Boston Red Sox