CLEVELAND\u2013What happened? In the bottom half of the seventh, Cleveland\u2019s Steven Kwan led off by bouncing a ball to second baseman Jeremiah Jackson, who caught the ball but dropped it on the transfer to make the throw to first. His error eventually led to a grand slam by Daniel Schneeman, putting the Orioles behind, 4-0.<\/p>\n
The Orioles, who had many scoring opportunities early in the game, had just four hits through seven innings.<\/p>\n
In the top of the eighth, the Orioles loaded the bases as Shawn Armstrong walked Taylor Ward and Dylan Beavers, and hit Pete Alonso. Pinch hitter-Johnathan Rodriguez\u2019s sacrifice fly scored Ward.<\/p>\n
After Leody Taveras walked by challenging a called strike three, pinch-hitter Weston Wilson ripped a 110-mph double off the left-field wall to score Alonso and Beavers to make it 4-3. Coby Mayo struck out on a pitch that was high and outside, failing to get the tying run in from third. It was left to Jackson, whose error had put the Orioles in a hole. He hit his fifth home run, a three-run shot, giving the Orioles a six-run inning, their biggest of the season.<\/p>\n
On Monday night, it was Jackson who hit two home runs, including a grand slam, after hitting manager Craig Albernaz with a foul ball to rally his team to a 9-7 win over the Diamondbacks after trailing 7-1. It\u2019s been an eventful week for the 26-year-old utility player.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we play both sides of the ball,\u201d Jackson said after Friday\u2019s win. \u201cFor me, it was moreso about trying to pick up the team, have a good at-bat. I give a lot of credit to the guys in front of me. Leo, great at-bat. Wilson, great at-bat. Put a lot of pressure on them, made them go to the bullpen. And when you do that, it kind of creates a lot of chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Orioles\u2019 6-4 win over the Guardians before 23,988 at Progressive Field on Friday night ended their three-game losing streak and evened their record at 10-10.<\/p>\n
\u201dThe biggest thing to me, is they\u2019re quality at-bats,\u201d Albernaz said. \u201cMade everyone who was in the game work. Huge challenge by Leody, to use that for us and get on base. That\u2019s the definition of our team right there. We don\u2019t quit. Big blow by Schneemann [the grand slam]. Usually, some teams would kind of fold over.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut our guys just kept battling and kept fighting, and a huge swing by J.J. But there was so many great at-bats. J-Rod coming off the bench, sac fly. Weston Wilson coming off the bench with a ringing double that\u2019s a homer in any other park but here. Great job getting to second base. Yeah, it was just a great inning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rico Garcia continued his superb relief work, retiring each of his three batters in the eighth.<\/p>\n
Ryan Helsley pitched a scoreless ninth, earning his sixth save in as many chances.<\/p>\n
In the bottom of the seventh, Chase DeLauter followed the Jackson error by doubling off Grant Woflram. Jos\u00e9 Ramirez was walked intentionally. Kyle Manzardo struck out, and Anthony Nunez struck out Rhys Hoskins. But Schneeman cleared the bases on a Nunez fastball.<\/p>\n
In the first four innings, the Orioles left six runners on base against Tanner Bibee, who gave up four hits in six scoreless innings. Hunter Gaddis struck out the side in the seventh as Gunnar Henderson angrily tossed his bat and slammed his helmet after making the third out.<\/p>\n
Albernaz said that Colton Cowser, who bruised his right knee making a catch in foul ground in the fifth inning, should be OK.<\/p>\n
How hot has Jackson been? Jackson is making a case for American League Player of the Week. In his last eight games, Jackson is hitting .406 (13-for-32) with five homers and 13 RBIs.<\/p>\n
The last Oriole with that many home runs and RBIs over a seven-game stretch was Anthony Santander from June 15th-June 22nd, 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a tough game,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cSo any time you have success, it\u2019s fun. For me, it\u2019s really just about the next game. Enjoy it now, celebrate, have fun. But I think the most important one is the next one. So for me, it\u2019s enjoy tonight, get ready to come back tomorrow and play, and play a good nine innings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Albernaz has enjoyed watching Jackson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so impressive. And I think the impressive thing today was, obviously, his at-bats previously weren\u2019t the best,\u201d Albernaz said. \u201cBut just like him and the rest of our team, he still had a chance, and he wanted to get up there and compete, and he got a good pitch to hit and he did what J.J. does and put a good swing on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
How amazing is Garcia? Garcia set a team record with his 10th scoreless and hitless inning of the season. He picked up his second win.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Rico, it\u2019s just fun to watch because he\u2019s out there and convicting everything he throws and pounding the strike zone,\u201d Albernaz said.<\/p>\n
How did Bassitt pitch? Chris Bassitt didn\u2019t have an easy scoreless five innings. He allowed four hits, walked four and threw a wild pitch. He threw 100 pitches in his longest start of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think we made enough pitches there to get out of it,\u201d Bassitt said.\u00a0\u201cIt was just, I couldn\u2019t find the strike zone early. Other than that, I had a couple other walks, but some of them were kind of just being smart. So, yeah, it\u2019s just, Sammy [Basallo], I thought caught a really good game, and we were just able to execute just enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
What does it mean? Albernaz enjoyed facing off with his friend, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were looking at each other and giving ourselves some smirks going back and forth,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s still baseball, it\u2019s still fun. Obviously, they made moves and we made moves. But luckily, we came out today on the right side.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the word? \u201cI\u00a0really think the team should be really proud of how we kind of handled the last two games, just in the aspect of not really giving up and rolling over.\u201d-Bassitt on the Orioles\u2019 comeback and ninth-inning rally on Thursday<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the stat of the day? 10. Garcia became the first major league pitcher to have 10 scoreless appearances of no hits and no inherited runners scored since Tampa Bay\u2019s Scott Alred from April\u00a0 8th-May 1st, 1999.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s going on in the minor leagues? Levi Wells allowed nine runs on 11 hits in Triple-A Norfolk\u2019s 19-9 loss to Durham.<\/p>\n
Andrew Kittredge gave up three runs on four hits in an inning in his first game back from paternity leave.<\/p>\n
Enrique Bradfield Jr., Jhonkensy Noel and Willy Vasquez homered.<\/p>\n
Luis De Le\u00f3n allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings in Double-A Chesapeake\u2019s 7-6 loss to New Hampshire in 10 innings.<\/p>\n
JT Quinn pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, striking out seven and walking one in High-A Frederick\u2019s 6-1 over Hudson Valley. Vance Honeycutt and Braylin Tavera homered.<\/p>\n
Esteban Mejia allowed five runs on one hit in 2 1\/3 innings, walking eight in Single-A Delmarva\u2019s 10-3 loss to Fredericksburg.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next? Dean Kremer (0-0, 3.60) will start against Gavin Williams (2-1, 2.38) on Saturday night at 6:10.<\/p>\n