By the time Colton Cowser delivered his second walk-off in as many days, the Orioles were celebrating more than another dramatic win.
They were soaking in every moment of payoff from months of relentless cage work and constant tweaks that culminated in a wild Memorial Day clash against the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
A game tied at two after nine innings turned into an offensive barrage nobody could have seen coming. Baltimore overcame a pair of two-run deficits in the 11th and 13th and a one-run deficit in the 12th, showing no intention of backing down in this sudden slugfest.
Plus, Cowser delivered a key headfirst slide in the 12th. Initially ruled out by plate umpire Ryan Additon, a successful replay challenge showed his arm slipped under catcher Nick Fortes’ tag as he scored on Gunnar Henderson’s grounder to first.
To cap it off, Cowser blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the 13th to give Baltimore a 9-7 victory and record the second walk-off hit of his career in what he called one of his “favorite complete team wins.”
Cowser barely touched home plate — becoming Baltimore’s first player to hit walk-off homers on consecutive days since Fred Lynn in May 1985 — before getting a Gatorade bath and disappearing beneath a mob of teammates.
“You get to see guys who are not getting the results they want, but the work they’re putting in and the collaboration with our hitting coaches, trying to problem solve an approach or a swing adjustment, a stance, whatever it is,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “To see it come through at the biggest moment on the biggest stage, against a really good team. I couldn’t be happier, prouder for Colton.”
While Monday’s Memorial Day thriller delivered late-inning chaos, Sunday’s split doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers featured its share of drama as well.
Down to the last strike against Detroit closer Kenley Jansen, Cowser launched a three-run walk-off homer to lift Baltimore to a 5-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.
Just look at the reactions from Cowser and his teammates when he gave the Orioles their first walk-off victory of the season and try to deny it was an emotional win.
Cowser watched the ball carry for a moment, just to confirm what his hands already knew. Then he turned toward the dugout, delivered an emphatic bat flip and let out a visceral scream. Henderson was the first out of the first-base dugout, already on the field before the ball landed, while first baseman Pete Alonso helped lead the Gatorade bath at home plate.
“It’s just a good feeling coming through for the team,” Cowser said. “Honestly, I can’t really describe it.”
Games like these are why the Orioles’ optimism hasn’t faded. The issue is whether potential can turn into steady on-field success. The Orioles backed up the two walk-off victories with a 6-1 win against Tampa Bay on May 26, pushing their record to 25-30.
“I feel like we’ve been right there a lot of the year. It feels like we’ve been one hit away a lot of times,” Cowser said. “I feel like you’re always just a couple wins away from getting on a roll. I feel like we have the clubhouse to do it. I think everyone has the right mindset in here and just got to keep showing up and getting your work in and playing good, clean baseball.”
That applies just as much to Cowser himself, whose upside is clear but whose consistency will define how far he ultimately goes.
In 2024, he hit 24 home runs en route to finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. This year, he’s been in and out of the starting lineup amid a prolonged slump.
But if Cowser’s back-to-back walk-offs are a sign of what’s still there, the ceiling remains considerable for a club in need of more sparks like this weekend.
“We all know what he’s capable of,” starting pitcher Kyle Bradish said. “I think he’s getting out of whatever he was in and starting to be the player that he is.”
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