BALTIMORE — The Orioles had their ace on the mound and were trending toward a sweep when one big swing from the Washington Nationals reversed the score. Baltimore never got a big swing of its own, but in the bottom of the ninth, several little ones added up.
After hitting his first career home run earlier in the game, Ryan McKenna raced home from third to score on pinch-hitter Ramón Urías’ grounder to give the Orioles a 5-4 victory Sunday for a three-game sweep over their regional rival. An inning earlier, they had gotten their first two men on but stranded the tying run at third. A team effort in the ninth ensured they did not miss the next opportunity.
Facing Washington closer Brad Hand in the ninth, Franco was hit by a pitch, and McKenna singled to send Franco to third. After pinch-hitter Austin Hays walked, Pat Valaika’s sacrifice fly tied the game before Urías’ grounder to third gave McKenna just enough time to beat Carter Kieboom’s throw to score. The ballpark broke into a frenzy, even as umpires reviewed the final play, eventually determining McKenna was indeed safe at home.
The Orioles (34-64) had carried a 3-1 lead into the sixth behind a trio of solo shots from Trey Mancini, Maikel Franco and Ryan McKenna, with left-hander John Means, making his second start off a six-week stint on the injured list, cruising into the frame. After allowing the first three Nationals to reach Sunday, Means retired 14 of the next 15.
But he opened the sixth by hitting Washington leadoff man Alcides Escobar for a second time, then allowed a hard-hit single by Trea Turner; the ball was right to Valaika at shortstop but buzzed past him. Means retired the next two batters before Ryan Zimmerman sent an elevated fastball out to center field. It was the first time this season Means allowed a home run with multiple runners on base.
Beyond their trio of solo shots off Nationals starters Paolo Espino, the Orioles managed little offensively until the late innings. Cedric Mullins and Mancini began the eighth with singles, but a Ryan Mountcastle double play and DJ Stewart strikeout followed. Then the Orioles rallied in the ninth.
Big Mac
When Means was activated this week, McKenna was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. But when outfielder Anthony Santander was put on the COVID-19 injured list the next day, he was brought right back.
McKenna, the Orioles’ No. 25 prospect according to Baseball America, took advantage of the opportunity Sunday. He came in a long way to make a diving catch on a shallow popup in the second, then hit Espino’s full-count fastball out to center in the fourth for his first major league home run.
It was Baltimore’s third solo shot off Espino, accounting for all of their runs Sunday. Mancini’s second first-inning home run in as many games traveled to the concourse in left; at a projected 455 feet, it was the Orioles’ longest home run in more than two years, per Statcast. An inning later, Franco hit his first home run in more than a month.
The Orioles had a potential scoring opportunity taken from them in the third, when Mullins led off with a single and tried to steal second base. He beat the throw rather easily and touched second before being tagged, but umpire Joe West ruled him out, saying he came off the bag during his headfirst slide. A replay review upheld the call.
Around the horn
— Right-handers Spenser Watkins and Jorge López will start in the Orioles’ two-game series with the Miami Marlins. Left-hander Alexander Wells will start during the following series in Detroit, Hyde said, going more than a week between starts because of off-days.
— Shortstop Freddy Galvis, who has been out a month with a right quadriceps strain, is on track to return in the beginning of August after a handful of rehab games, Hyde said.
— Ravers coach John Harbaugh threw out the ceremonial first “pitch,” tossing a football to Hyde. He then visited with Cal Ripken Jr. and came out with Hyde to meet the umpires and exchange lineups.
