SEATTLE–What happened? When Tony Mansolino became the Orioles’ interim manager on May 17th, he said he hoped the Orioles could get closer to .500 before the All-Star break. Mansolino lost his first four games, and since then, they’re 10-4. On Thursday, the Orioles completed their second consecutive series sweep and ran their winning streak to six games.
Adley Rutschman hit a two-run home run, his second homer in as many games, and Gunnar Henderson followed with his eighth homer in the sixth to power the Orioles to a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners before 27,887at T-Mobile Park.
“I feel like everybody’s just getting back to the way they normally play,” Henderson said. “We’re all just grinding together. We’re scratching these close wins, and then whenever the offense gets fully clicking, then we’ll be in a really good spot.”
It’s the first time they’ve won six straight since June 7th-12th, 2024 and the first time they’ve swept consecutive series since July 7th-16th, 2023 when they took three in a row from Minnesota and Miami.
Oriole starter Zach Eflin (5-2) allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings for the win. He struck out seven without walking a batter. Keegan Akin, Andrew Kittredge and Bryan Baker each pitched scoreless innings. Baker registered his second save, striking out two in the ninth.
The Orioles’ bullpen pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings in this series, allowing just four hits.
Mansolino believes the Orioles always had a positive outlook.
“I think just because of the point of the calendar where we’re at, it’s so early in the year,” he said. “There’s hope, right? And you kind of need one of these streaks to maybe solidify that a little bit but, yeah, you roll off six in a row and you come into Seattle and beat a heck of a team, a first-place team. Just a little bit more hope, which we’ll definitely take.”
The Orioles (25-36) took a 1-0 lead in the third when they scored a run without a hit. Maverick Handley walked against Bryan Woo (5-3) and scored on two wild pitches and a fly ball.
Seattle (32-29) tied it a 1-1 on an RBI single by Cal Raleigh in the third. Raleigh’s two-run home run, his 24th, in the fifth gave the Mariners a 3-1 lead. Rightfielder Heston Kjerstad, who continues to struggle in the field, failed to catch J.P. Crawford’s fly, which had a catch probability of 90 percent.
Why are the Orioles suddenly hot? Eflin said he never doubted that this was a special group.
“I wouldn’t say I see it now. I saw it at the beginning of the year,” Eflin said. “I saw it last year, the year before that. The core nucleus of guys who have always been here, they know how to win, they know how to go out and play and have fun.
“It’s a long year. I understand we dug ourselves a big hole, but you can always climb out of it. It’s a 162-game season. None of us have lost confidence. None of us have gone home depressed or anything. We’re here to win every single game that we have, and it’s been a lot more fun the past couple weeks, just going out, rattling off wins, finding ways to win games.
“A lot of one-run games that we’re winning, which is huge. Our bullpen has been great. Offense is doing great. And we’re just having fun right now.”
What’s the stat of the day? The Orioles are 11 games under .500, their best record since May 14th when they lost a doubleheader to Minnesota to begin the streak that ended Brandon Hyde’s managerial career.
What’s the word? “Everybody’s starting to get comfortable in these situations, everybody’s getting more experience in it, and I feel like we’re making strides in the right direction of getting back to what we know we can do.”-Henderson on how the Orioles are playing.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Infielder Jordan Westburg, who’s recovering from a pulled left hamstring muscle, continues his rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk. He was scheduled to be the designated hitter.
“It’s going to be day-to-day,” Mansolino said. “We’re making sure he feels right with how he feels on the field. When you miss a month of playing baseball, it’s unrealistic to expect anybody to play five, six games … and feel incredible. When he’s ready and we’re ready, he’s in.”
Westburg, Ramón Laureano (ankle) and Gary Sánchez (wrist) homered in the first two innings of Thursday night’s game. Laureano and Sánchez are also on rehab assignments.
Double-A Chesapeake activated infielder Max Wagner from the injured list. High-A Aberdeen outfielder Vance Honeycutt is out with a left hip injury.
What’s next? The Orioles begin a three-game series with the Athletics at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park on Friday night. Dean Kremer (5-5, 4.70) will start for the Orioles. The Athletics have yet to name a starter.
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