Orioles walk off Royals again, 4-3, to win series on James McCann’s two-run single

After managing just one hit through seven innings, the Orioles found their bats just in time to rally from a three-run deficit and beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, on Wednesday night on a two-run, walk-off single by catcher James McCann.

In a game that began five hours after its originally scheduled start time because of rain, the Orioles entered looking for a spark offensively. After beating the Los Angeles Angels by a combined score of 24-7 over their first two games of the season, they had been outscored 12-8 over their next three and allowed their opponents to score first in each of them.

That trend continued Wednesday, when the Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead with ace Corbin Burnes on the mound for the Orioles. Baltimore had no such luck against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, who sat down the first 10 batters he faced before designated hitter Adley Rutschman doubled to left with one out in the fourth inning. Ragans, who broke out with the Royals in the second half of last season, dominated the Orioles with 6 1/3 innings of one-hit ball.

The Orioles (4-2) only managed to hit three balls out of the infield the entire evening against Ragans. The left-hander racked up seven strikeouts and cruised into the seventh inning before the Orioles finally put a runner in scoring position with back-to-back walks by Rutschman and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. However, Ragans then struck out right fielder Anthony Santander to end his afternoon before right-hander James McArthur worked out of the jam.

With Ragans practically unhittable, the Orioles needed their own ace to be perfect. Coming off a stellar Orioles debut on opening day, Burnes kept the Orioles in it but wasn’t nearly as sharp his second time out. He allowed nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, the most he had surrendered in a game since July 30, 2021, and tied for his career high.

The right-hander did limit the damage, however. Kansas City stranded seven base runners against him, including four in scoring position. Burnes struck out three and did not walk a batter for his second straight start. The two runs the Royals scored against him both came on RBI singles by first baseman Salvador Perez, one in the first inning and the other in the third.

When Burnes handed the ball off to reliever Mike Baumann with two outs in the fifth, the Orioles trailed by two runs. Kansas City then tacked on another run off Baumann in the sixth with a solo home run by third baseman Maikel Garcia, who went 5-for-12 in the series with a homer, two doubles and a triple.

After squandering their would-be rally in the seventh, the Orioles finally started to break through offensively against the Royals’ bullpen the following frame. Colton Cowser, pinch hitting for center fielder Jorge Mateo, led off with a single and McCann followed with a double into the left field corner.

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson then drove in the Orioles’ first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center field. Rutschman kept the rally going with an RBI single to right but was thrown out by right fielder Hunter Renfroe trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Reliever Yennier Cano pitched a 1-2-3 scoreless ninth to give the Orioles a chance with three outs to go, and he got the win after they loaded the bases and scored two runs on McCann’s game-winning hit off Royals closer Will Smith.

The Orioles will get the day off Thursday before opening their first road trip of the season with a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Around the horn

• Orioles left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez said in the clubhouse Wednesday morning he was feeling much better after landing on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain Sunday. He’ll be earliest eligible to return April 15 when the Orioles open a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins.

• After opting out of his minor league deal with the Orioles when he didn’t make the team out of spring training, veteran right-hander Julio Teheran reportedly signed a one-year deal with the New York Mets on Wednesday. He’s expected to help fill out their injury-hampered rotation.

This story will be updated.

Orioles at Pirates

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