The Baltimore Orioles’ 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday symbolized the changing times in baseball.
Right-handed reliever Albert Suarez faced Rangers outfielder Evan Carter with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. The latter player fouled off the first pitch before taking a fastball high and missing another one down the middle.
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That brought the count to 1-2 before Suarez tossed another fastball on the outside corner. Home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez called it a ball, but catcher Samuel Basallo tapped his head to call for a challenge.
The Orioles won the challenge and thus won the game on the strikeout, marking the first walk-off ABS win ever. Suarez chimed in on ABS after the victory, via MLB.com’s Jake Rill.
“I think I like it more after what happened today,” the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder admitted.
MLB instituted the ABS Challenge System this season after using it in the minors since 2022 and in spring training since 2025, so it’s been an adjustment for everyone involved. The technology allows pitchers, hitters, and catchers to challenge ball and strike calls, with each team getting two challenges per game. However, teams keep their challenges when they win them.
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Baltimore still had two challenges left during Carter’s at-bat, so Basallo wasn’t shy to use one, per Rill.
“Better to use it and see what happens,” the rookie said through an interpreter.
That instance highlights the strategy behind ABS. Having challenges at the end allows teams to use them with little downside, as there’s no benefit to not doing so.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Dylan Beavers (12). © Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Baltimore’s victory on Wednesday brought its record to 3-3 after two straight losses to Texas. The squad also scored more runs than it did over the previous two games combined.
Second baseman Jeremiah Jackson opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center in the bottom of the second before designated hitter Taylor Ward followed up with an RBI double to right. Center fielder Leody Taveras then hit a two-run double in the third, bringing the score to 4-0.
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Texas notched two runs in the fourth, but Basallo answered with a 437-foot solo homer to center in the fifth. Jackson then hit an RBI single before Ward hit a sacrifice fly, and left fielder Dylan Beavers added a solo homer in the sixth.
The Orioles’ eight runs were tied for the most they’ve scored in a game this season, as they beat the Minnesota Twins 8-6 on Sunday. Meanwhile, ace pitcher Trevor Rogers earned his second win in as many starts after allowing two runs on six hits over six innings.
Up next for Baltimore is a road trip to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago White Sox.