In a thrilling opening night of a three‑game series, the Baltimore Orioles edged the Toronto Blue Jays 4‑3 thanks to a clutch two‑run home run by Pete Alonso in the eighth inning. The blast, Alonso’s second of the game and his 40th of the season, gave Baltimore its first lead and ultimately secured the win.
Alonso opened the scoring early, homering in the first inning, and later delivered the decisive shot with two outs in the eighth. The Orioles, who had been on a three‑game losing streak, pulled within 4½ games of the Chicago White Sox in the race for the third American League wild‑card spot. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, fell 3½ games behind Chicago.
Key performances
Gunnar Henderson added a solo home run in the sixth inning, extending the Orioles’ offensive surge. Reliever Yennier Cano worked 1⅓ shutout innings, earning his fourth win of the season, while Rico Garcia closed the game with a perfect ninth inning for his 10th save.
For Toronto, George Springer contributed two singles and an RBI, but the team could not overcome the late rally. Starting pitcher Tyler Rogers was charged with the loss after surrendering Alonso’s decisive homer.
Other MLB action
In Detroit, the Tigers opened a three‑game series against the Washington Nationals with a 9‑2 victory. Ben Malgeri led the way with a three‑run home run, and both Javier Baez and Spencer Torkelson added two‑run shots. Rookie River Ryan, promoted from Triple‑A, debuted with three scoreless innings and three strikeouts. Keider Montero followed with four shutout innings, striking out five.
The Nationals’ pinch‑hitter Yohandy Morales responded with a two‑run homer, but the team fell to its second consecutive loss. DJ Herz, making his first major‑league start since 2024, allowed four runs over four innings.
San Francisco triumphs
The San Francisco Giants snapped a three‑game skid by defeating the Minnesota Twins 5‑2. Drew Gilbert hit a home run, collected three hits, and drove in three runs, matching his career best for RBIs. Brett Harris added a two‑run single, and reliever Tristan Beck delivered 2⅔ innings of hitless ball. Trent Harris closed with a perfect ninth for his second save.
For the Twins, Brooks Lee and Emmanuel Rodriguez each homered, but the team suffered its sixth loss in nine games. Starter Zebby Matthews struck out nine in five innings, though he yielded five runs on eight hits.
These results keep the American League wild‑card race tight and set the stage for the next round of games, with the Orioles looking to build momentum and the Blue Jays seeking to rebound.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
