Pete Alonso drove in two runs with a third-inning single, Tyler O’Neill added a pinch-hit home run, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Baltimore received a strong performance from left-hander Cade Povich, who returned to the rotation for the first time in nearly three months and held the Angels scoreless over six innings. The Orioles continued to win despite reshaping their roster before the trade deadline, while Los Angeles wasted several scoring opportunities in another close loss.
The victory improved Baltimore to 55-58 and kept the club firmly in the American League wild-card race. The Angels, meanwhile, finished with 11 hits but struggled to convert those chances into runs.
Povich Impresses in Return
Making his first start since early May, Cade Povich delivered one of his best outings of the season.
The left-hander allowed seven hits over six scoreless innings while striking out seven and walking one. He threw 88 pitches, including 60 strikes, and consistently worked out of trouble when the Angels put runners on base.
Povich returned to Baltimore’s rotation after recovering from left elbow inflammation. The Orioles opened a rotation spot following the trade of Dean Kremer before the deadline, and Povich responded with a quality performance.
His effort improved Baltimore’s chances early and gave the bullpen a solid foundation to protect the lead.
Alonso Provides the Early Offense
The Orioles scored the decisive runs in the third inning.
Christian Franklin, making his major league debut in left field after replacing the traded Taylor Ward in the lineup, reached base and later crossed the plate on Pete Alonso’s two-run single.
Alonso’s hit also brought home another run, giving Baltimore a 2-0 advantage against Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez.
Although the Orioles managed only three hits against Rodriguez, they made the most of their opportunities with runners on base.
Angels Unable to Capitalize
Los Angeles had plenty of chances to get back into the game but could not deliver timely hits.
The Angels collected 11 hits but finished just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Multiple rallies ended without producing runs as Baltimore’s pitching staff repeatedly escaped trouble.
Grayson Rodriguez kept the Angels within striking distance despite taking the loss. Facing the organization that drafted him before trading him to Los Angeles during the offseason, the right-hander turned in his longest outing of the year.
Rodriguez pitched a season-high seven innings, allowing only two runs on three hits while lowering his ERA to 7.24. He gave the Angels every opportunity to mount a comeback, but the offense could not provide enough support.
O’Neill Delivers Off the Bench
The Angels finally broke through in the eighth inning.
Vaughn Grissom doubled home a run against Andrew Kittredge to cut Baltimore’s lead to 2-1 and briefly shift momentum toward Los Angeles.
The Orioles answered immediately in the bottom half.
Tyler O’Neill entered as a pinch-hitter for leadoff batter Dylan Beavers and launched his eighth home run of the season. The solo shot restored Baltimore’s two-run cushion and marked O’Neill’s third pinch-hit homer of the year.
The insurance run proved important as Baltimore closed out the victory without further drama.
Bullpen Secures the Win
Andrew Kittredge allowed the Angels’ only run before handing the ball to Yennier Cano for the ninth inning.
Cano retired the side to earn his second save of the season and preserve another important win for Baltimore.
Despite trading away several established players before the deadline, including Adley Rutschman, Taylor Ward, Tyler Wells and Dean Kremer, the Orioles have continued to compete for a postseason spot with contributions from younger players and recent additions.
For the Angels, missed opportunities at the plate defined the game. Their pitching staff limited Baltimore to three runs, but the offense could not take advantage of frequent traffic on the bases.
Up Next
The series continued on Wednesday with the Angels scheduled to send left-hander Reid Detmers to the mound. He entered the matchup with a 3-9 record and a 4.03 ERA.
The Orioles were set to counter with left-hander Trevor Rogers, who carried a 6-7 record and a 4.27 ERA into the second game of the series.
