Ryan Mountcastle hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning, helping the Baltimore Orioles recover after giving up a six-run lead to defeat the Miami Marlins 7-6 on Thursday. This win marked their fourth victory in the last 12 games.
The AL East-leading Orioles (61-41) avoided a sweep in their three-game series against the NL-worst Marlins (37-66).
“Great team win there, to end it in extra innings and squeak out a victory,” Mountcastle said. “We needed that one.”
Anthony Santander hit his 28th home run, and Colton Cowser and Connor Norby also homered against Roddery Muñoz, helping the Orioles build a 6-0 lead by the fourth inning.
“We swung the bats really well to start the game and we don’t add on,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’ve done this too many times and we have to learn to be able to step on people and make it easier on ourselves.”
Josh Bell hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, and the Marlins came closer, making it 6-3 in the eighth inning when Xavier Edwards hit an RBI single and scored on Bryan De La Cruz’s double.
Craig Kimbrel blew a save for the fifth time in 28 opportunities after a one-out single and two walks.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in a run with a grounder that shortstop Gunnar Henderson bobbled for an error. Edwards hit a sacrifice fly, and Bell tied the game with a single.
Yennier Cano (4-2) struck out De La Cruz to leave runners stranded at second and third.
“Every single game in the homestand the guys gave it their all,” said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, whose team is 4-3 since the All-Star break. “They played hard and played the game the right way.”
Santander’s single against Calvin Faucher (2-2) advanced automatic runner Jordan Westburg to third base in the 10th inning. After Faucher struck out Ryan O’Hearn, Mountcastle singled to right field.
Cionel Pérez struck out two batters in a perfect 10th inning to earn his second save.
“Our guys really rallied after a tough ninth inning,” Hyde said. “We have to play better baseball going forward and our guys know that.”
