Tyler O’Neill and Coby Mayo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, Trevor Rogers delivered another strong outing and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Rogers carried a two-hit bid into the seventh inning before exiting after a leadoff single. Baltimore added insurance late with a pinch-hit home run from Leody Taveras to secure its second straight win in the series.
The victory kept the Orioles firmly in the American League wild-card race despite a roster reshaped by moves at the trade deadline. Baltimore improved to 56-58 and moved closer to returning to the .500 mark for the first time since the end of April.
Rogers Sets the Tone
Trevor Rogers turned in one of his strongest starts of the season.
The left-hander allowed only two runs over six-plus innings, giving up just three hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. He did not issue a walk and consistently kept the Angels off balance.
Rogers took a two-hit game into the seventh inning before allowing a leadoff single and departing. He improved to 7-7 on the season after another efficient performance.
Alex Hoppe, acquired from Boston before the trade deadline, entered in relief and helped preserve the lead despite allowing a run.
Orioles Break Through in the Fourth
The game remained scoreless until Baltimore’s offense erupted in the fourth inning.
Reid Detmers issued a one-out walk to Gunnar Henderson before Tyler O’Neill drove a fastball deep over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. It was O’Neill’s ninth home run of the season and his second in as many games.
On the very next pitch, Coby Mayo launched another towering drive to nearly the same spot in left field. Mayo’s solo home run, estimated at 436 feet, gave Baltimore a 3-0 advantage and energized the home crowd.
The consecutive home runs put the Orioles in firm control against an Angels lineup that struggled to generate offense for much of the night.
Angels Rally Falls Short
Los Angeles finally broke through in the seventh inning.
José Siri supplied the Angels’ first run with a solo home run earlier in the game, and after Rogers exited, Wade Meckler delivered a pinch-hit RBI single that trimmed the deficit to 3-2.
The brief rally brought the tying run to the plate, but Baltimore’s bullpen prevented the Angels from pulling even.
Yennier Cano worked a scoreless eighth inning before Andrew Kittredge retired the side in the ninth to record his fifth save of the season.
The Angels dropped their 10th game in their last 12 outings.
Taveras Provides Insurance
Baltimore put the game away in the eighth inning.
Leody Taveras came off the bench and hit a two-run pinch-hit home run, extending the Orioles’ lead to 5-2 and removing any remaining drama from the final inning.
The insurance runs rewarded another balanced offensive effort from Baltimore, which combined timely power with strong pitching to earn its 17th victory in its last 27 games.
Even after trading several key veterans before the deadline, the Orioles have continued to play meaningful baseball as they pursue a postseason spot.
Detmers Tagged With Loss
Reid Detmers pitched well through the first three innings before Baltimore’s fourth-inning outburst changed the game.
The Angels left-hander surrendered the walk to Henderson before allowing the back-to-back home runs to O’Neill and Mayo. He absorbed the loss, falling to 3-8 on the season.
Los Angeles struggled to capitalize on its limited scoring opportunities and finished another frustrating night with only a handful of hits against Rogers and the Orioles’ bullpen.
Up Next
The series concluded Thursday with Baltimore scheduled to start right-hander Brandon Young, who entered with an 8-2 record and a 3.31 ERA. The Angels were set to counter with rookie right-hander Ryan Johnson, who carried a 2-6 record and a 7.63 ERA into the matchup.