Yennier Cano delivered a defining moment in the Orioles’ 5-3 win over the Athletics on Saturday, striking out Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler with the bases loaded in the seventh inning before striking his trademark post-strikeout pose at Sutter Health Park.
With Baltimore leading 4-2, one out and the bases full, Cano entered in his usual fireman role. The right-hander, who is not typically known as a strikeout pitcher, said he was looking for a double play to end the threat. Instead, he used splitters to strike out Gelof and Butler back to back, escaping a dangerous inning in dominant fashion.
“That was fun to watch,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “That was electric, and we needed it.”
Orioles bullpen repeatedly escapes trouble
Cano’s performance highlighted the Orioles’ bend-but-don’t-break bullpen. Baltimore allowed multiple baserunners in each of the final four innings but avoided major damage every time while protecting its narrow lead.
Right-hander Alex Hoppe escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth before Cano repeated the feat in the seventh. With runners on the corners in a one-run game in the eighth, Cam Sanders relied on a crucial around-the-horn double play. In the ninth, closer Andrew Kittredge stranded two more runners to secure the victory.
“You really feel good [with] everybody running out of the bullpen,” said starter Shane Baz, who allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings. “It’s awesome.”
Baz cruised through five scoreless innings before losing his command in the sixth. A bases-loaded walk and a hit-by-pitch brought home two Athletics runs.
Hoppe, who recorded his first Major League save in Friday’s extra-inning victory, appeared ready to escape again after opening the at-bat against Athletics designated hitter Max Muncy with three pitches well outside the strike zone. He settled down, however, getting Muncy to hit a tapper to third base to end the inning.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand makes key defensive plays
That was the first of several important plays by Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who started at third base for Baltimore. Primarily a first baseman during his time with the Reds, Encarnacion-Strand started the Orioles’ do-or-die 5-6-3 double play in the eighth inning.
He then stayed back on a chopper to third in the ninth, leaving runners on second and third and ending the game.
“The way he’s been playing third base has been outstanding for us,” Albernaz said. “Those plays were huge — in big moments, too.”
Shane Baz ends lengthy winless stretch
The Orioles’ late-inning escapes gave Baz his first win in more than two months. The right-hander had lost his previous five starts and had gone winless in 13 outings since defeating the Padres on June 12.
To Baz, the drought felt even longer.
“[Brandon Young] made a joke to me that I haven’t had a win since ’Nam,” Baz said. “It kind of feels true. Sometimes it takes one, you know? It just takes one to get rolling.”
Baz and the Orioles picked an important time to get moving. Saturday’s victory clinched Baltimore’s third consecutive series win and continued its rise in the American League standings. At 67-69, the Orioles entered Sunday’s series finale one game behind the third and final AL Wild Card spot.
After what Baz acknowledged was a “rocky start” to the season that included plenty of sloppy play, Baltimore likes its position in the playoff race.
“We’ve done such a good job of not pressing and panicking and trying to do too much,” Baz said. “It’s fun to be in this spot. I think we have all the tools to make a run. We’ve got great leadership. We’ve got a great team with a lot of talent.”
Baltimore bullpen showing depth
The Orioles’ bullpen has been central to their recent surge, combining veteran experience from pitchers such as Cano and Kittredge with younger arms including Hoppe, Sanders and Anthony Nunez.
“They’ve done a terrific job, and I think they deserve a lot of credit for coming in here and getting their job done,” Cano said. “We still have some pieces on the way and some help that might be needed, but with that being said, I feel really proud of the work that we’ve been doing here as a group and really happy with the way that the guys have come in and gotten the job done.”
