The Orioles may be struggling in a disappointing season, but they can still deliver some truly thrilling baseball moments. Wednesday night’s extra-innings battle against the Mets was one of those unforgettable, oddball games where you wonder, “How on earth did the Orioles pull this off?” After a dull first eight innings, the excitement exploded in the ninth when former Mets star Pete Alonso launched his eagerly awaited 300th career home run—a clutch, game-tying blast that electrified the Mets fans. Then, in the top of the 11th, Coby Mayo stunned everyone with a go-ahead, three-run inside-the-park homer, clinching a dramatic victory for Baltimore.
It was a night packed with memorable action but also emotional for fans following Alonso’s milestone. The main reason fans have flocked to CitiField this week isn’t the Orioles-Mets matchup but to witness Alonso break the 300-home run mark, just one shy as he returned to his former home turf. Mets fans showed their admiration with standing ovations and crafted signs, eager to see the Polar Bear reach the milestone — even if it meant their team losing. And reach it he did, with a towering 414-foot shot off Mets closer Kodai Senga in the ninth inning, turning a nearly lost game into a tied ballgame and prompting an enthusiastic curtain call from Alonso.
Despite Alonso’s heroics, the game was far from over. The Orioles and Mets each struggled to put together decisive plays in extra innings, with both sides missing chances. In the 10th, the Orioles managed to take a slim lead thanks to a wild pitch after some wasted hitting opportunities. However, the Mets quickly tied it back on a Marcus Semien RBI double, only to falter again when Christopher Morel oddly swung on a 3-0 count and grounded out, quashing the rally.
The real shocker came in the 11th inning. With two runners on and two outs, after Alonso struck out trying for homer 301, Coby Mayo hit a deep ball that barely eluded a leaping Mets outfielder, bouncing off the wall. Mayo then dashed the bases for his very first inside-the-park home run, giving the Orioles a 7-4 lead. Despite a late Mets rally, Andrew Kittredge closed it out, securing the Orioles’ second consecutive win.
On a separate note, Orioles rookie Shane Baz’s strange season may have come to a premature end after suffering an elbow injury in the fifth inning when a hard-hit liner struck him. Fortunately, x-rays were negative, but with the season essentially over, it makes sense to shut him down early and focus on recovery. Before the injury, Baz was having a rough outing, allowing seven hits and two walks in four innings.
The Orioles’ bullpen stepped up nicely in his absence, with Grant Wolfram, Luis De León, and former Mets prospect Anthony Nunez combining for four scoreless innings. De León’s two shutout frames stood out as some of his best work to date. Offensively, the Orioles struggled unusually against lefty Sean Manaea, fielding a patchwork lineup that included hitters with poor track records against southpaws. However, Encarnacion-Strand and Jeremiah Jackson managed solo homers early on, but the Orioles were silent the rest of the game until the late-inning fireworks.
Ultimately, a blend of Alonso’s milestone heroics, some fortune against a faltering Mets squad, and a touch of “Orioles Magic” pulled off a wild victory. Camden Chatters, who stood out as your top Orioles player tonight?
Fan Take: This game exemplifies why baseball remains a sport full of surprises and unforgettable moments—even in a down year for some teams. Pete Alonso’s milestone and Mayo’s astonishing inside-the-park homer are reminders that baseball’s drama and excitement can captivate fans and keep the spirit of the game alive, regardless of standings or expectations.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
