Odor home run in eighth inning gives Orioles 6-5 win over Blue Jays

The Orioles lost their lead tonight in the top of the sixth inning, then watched the tarp pulled onto the field before the rain arrived. Hurt by their own mistakes and what they couldn’t control.

They handled it with the same confidence and composure that’s guided them through the season. Always finding rays of light after a heavy downpour of disappointment.

This one almost got away from them. But it’s a different team in 2022.

Rougned Odor hit a two-run homer off Yimi García in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally the Orioles past the Blue Jays 6-5 at Camden Yards following a 1 hour, 18 minute rain delay.

Bo Bichette slugged his second home run of the night in the sixth inning, a go-ahead three-run shot on a two-strike pitch from reliever Bryan Baker. Ryan Mountcastle drew the Orioles within a run in the seventh on a double that scored Adley Rutschman, and Odor followed Austin Hays’ leadoff single in the eighth by driving a changeup 415 feet to right-center field.

Deep into the seats. Sending what remained of an announced crowd of 11,080 into a frenzy.

Baker replaced starter Kyle Bradish with one out in the sixth after Alejandro Kirk singled to score Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who singled to extend his hitting streak to 20 games and advanced on a wild pitch. Kirk moved to second after Odor hesitated on the relay and made a wide throw to the plate, Matt Chapman walked against Baker, and Bichette reached the front of the flag count in right field on a 99 mph fastball.

Bichette also caught the edge of the court with his solo homer off Bradish in the second, but the Orioles fought back and improved to 58-52, putting them six games above .500 for the first time since May 23, 2017.

They headed indoors just a half-game back for the final playoff spot and a half-game behind the Rays for third place.

When do the doubters begin to believe?

The Orioles led 2-0 in the first, 3-1 in the third and, most important, 6-5 at the end, after Félix Bautista notched his sixth save and second in two nights.

There was some tension after Odor’s second error of the game, another errant throw on Santiago Espinal’s infield hit with one out that brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate. Bautista responded by striking out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and retiring Guerrero on a liner to Odor.

Mountcastle’s second double, this one to the right field fence off Adam Cimber with two outs in the seventh, tightened the margin and made it possible for Odor to spin the advantage with one swing. His 11th home run of the season.

The storm arrived after the Jays batted in the sixth, with head groundskeeper Nicole Sherry staying ahead of it and her crew getting the infield covered before the first drops appeared.

There were a bunch of them, accompanied by high winds and fans who didn’t heed the warning running for shelter.

The same replay system that infuriated the Orioles on Sunday, overturning an out at the plate that led to a four-run inning, rewarded them tonight in the first.

A triple play left the Orioles with nothing except questions about its validity. A reversed call loaded the bases with no outs, and they scored twice against Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah.

Cedric Mullins, back in the leadoff spot, drew a walk in the first inning and Rutschman singled. Center fielder Whit Merrifield was ruled to have made a sliding catch on Anthony Santander’s shallow fly ball, leaving the Orioles confused and frozen on the bases.

They were doubled off second and first and the Jays tried to leave the field, but the stadium replay showed Merrifield trapping the ball, and the guys in New York actually got it right.

Mountcastle, the Toronto tormentor, swung at the first pitch and bounced into a 4-3 double play to score Mullins, and Terrin Vavra lined a run-scoring single into right field for a 2-0 lead.

The Jays got a run back in the top of the second on Bichette’s full-count homer off Bradish, who was charged with three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Baker replaced him after 80 pitches.

Santander appeared to score in the third on a wild pitch, but that call also was overturned. The ball hit Vavra’s foot and he swung, sending the runners back to second and third base with one out. He flied to deep center field to bring home Santander, who was hit by a pitch and moved up on Mountcastle’s automatic double.

The ball hopped the center field fence and denied Mountcastle another RBI against the Jays. He’d get one later.

The defense supported Bradish early. Odor made a nice pick to start a flashy 4-6-3 double play in the third, Mullins raced back in the fourth and reached above his head to grab Matt Chapman’s fly ball – it had an expected batting average of .710 – and the Orioles turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Manoah, who shut out the Orioles on one hit over six innings in June, allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings. He walked one, struck out five and was gone after 77 pitches.

The Orioles littered the bases against him but didn’t take full advantage. Three singles in the fourth inning produced nothing after Odor got caught in a rundown between second and third base. Santander was stranded in the fifth after a leadoff single.

Former Orioles minor leaguer Zach Pop was announced into the game before it rained, so he’s credited with an appearance but didn’t pitch. Louis Head made his Orioles debut in the seventh, became their 53rd player this season and didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3 innings. Nick Vespi stranded two of his runners with two strikeouts.

Can’t ignore what Vespi did. It was critical to the outcome.

The Orioles have claimed three consecutive series for the second time this season. It also happened in June during a 10-game winning streak.

These teams have 13 games remaining against each other, with a return trip to Canada next week.

Down on the farm, left-hander Alexander Wells tossed a scoreless and hitless inning with the Florida Complex League team in his first rehab start. He struck out two batters.

Triple-A Norfolk’s Kyle Stowers hit his 19th home run, a grand slam, and drove in five runs. Jordan Westburg’s eighth home run was a three-run shot, and he finished with four RBIs.

Matt Harvey allowed four runs and three hits in six innings, the damage including three home runs.

Double-A Bowie’s César Prieto hit a three-run homer. Colton Cowser had two hits and is batting .357 with a 1.118 OPS. Coby Mayo returned to the Baysox from his injury rehab assignment and went 1-for-3 with a walk.

Drew Rom allowed three runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.

High-A Aberdeen’s Trendon Craig had three hits and two RBIs. Heston Kjerstad went 0-for-4 and is batting .194 with a 587 OPS with the IronBirds.

Single-A Delmarva’s Isaac De Leon hit his eighth home run.