The Orioles were being no-hit through 8.2 innings, down to their last out against Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Jackson Holliday ensured there would be no history, belting a home run to right field that barely snuck out.
All that seemed to change was the final score. Except it did much more than that.
Baltimore strung together a double, a hit-by-pitch and two walks against reliever Blake Treinen. Tanner Scott, who gave up a Samuel Basallo walk-off home run the night prior, entered to stop the damage. But Emmanuel Rivera lined a two-run single, securing a second straight walk-off with an improbable 4-3 win Saturday night.
“That’s wild, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said.
The 2025 Orioles (66-76) became the seventh team since 1961 with a walk-off win after being no-hit through 8.2 innings, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
The result was only fitting because of the day it came on, when Baltimore celebrated the 30th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr. becoming Major League Baseball’s “Iron Man.”
“I think some of Cal’s magic resonated and affected us there,” Mansolino said.
The comeback was remarkable. Yamamoto could do nothing wrong on the mound, striking out 10 while coming one out away from a no-hitter. The Orioles were befuddled at the plate.
Holliday struck out and had a pair of one-pitch outs in his first three at bats of the game — the second of which ended Baltimore’s only rally to that point after it secured back-to-back walks to start the third inning.
Holliday said he was well aware by the eighth inning that he may turn out to be the Orioles’ last chance to avoid the no-hitter. The home run came off a 2-1 cutter, the first he saw from Yamamoto and just the second inside pitch he faced in the game. He said he was looking for the cutter all night.
“It was fun to be able to break it up,” Holliday said.
But while the no-hitter was gone, Baltimore still had a game to finish. It were only down two runs with one out left, thanks in large part to another strong outing from Trevor Rogers and excellent bullpen work from Shawn Dubin and Albert Suárez.
The Orioles were down to their last strike right after Holliday’s home run, but Jeremiah Jackson brought an 0-2 count to 3-2 before lining a sinker for a double. Gunnar Henderson was hit with two strikes right after, which brought the winning run to the plate in Ryan Mountcastle.
Mountcastle, who struck out twice previously in the game, saw four straight balls after chasing a first-pitch sweeper. Then Colton Cowser, just like Mountcastle, remained calm at the dish and took advantage of a wild Treinen for an RBI walk. The Orioles’ momentum was growing, as Mansolino put it.
Cowser’s free pass brought in Scott, who threw three straight fastballs to Rivera. The last resulted in a celebration that started behind second base and ended in right-center.
“I think the moment we got that first hit, I think it kind of opened up everything else from there on out,” Rivera said through a team interpreter.
Holliday said there was no “give up.” Rogers said Holliday’s home run brought a sense of relief, and that they just needed to keep fighting. The game was the best Rogers has been a part of, the left-hander said.
Like on Friday, Saturday gave Baltimore an incredible win in a season of disappointments. It also extended the winning streak to five games, a run that — even though the club is out of postseason contention — provides excitement for the now and hope for 2026. That’s what September is about for the Orioles.
“It’s been really fun to be part of this group, and the past four of five days we’ve been playing some really good baseball,” Rogers said. “Take it day by day, finish strong and get ready for a really good 2026.”
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