The elimination number for the Orioles holds at two

Two home runs from Pete Alonso kept it from shrinking in the Camden Yards cold.

The Orioles fell behind in the first inning, shut out the Blue Jays the rest of the way and rallied for a 4-3 win before an announced crowd of 12,067.

They improved to 76-81, still hoping to avoid back-to-back losing seasons, and are 4 ½ games behind for the last Wild Card with five remaining. The White Sox were idle tonight.

Alonso hit his 39th home run in the first to snap the Orioles’ scoreless streak at 19 innings. The ball reached the row of fans standing along the railing atop the flag court. He stepped to the plate against Tyler Rogers with two outs in the eighth and Christian Franklin on first base and lined a sinker over the left field wall.

Franklin came off the bench to draw a leadoff walk against Mason Fluharty. Rogers got the call specifically to face Alonso and paid the price.

Alonso has homered in six consecutive series for the second time this season. He’s the fourth player to belt 40 homers in his first career season with the Orioles after Frank Robinson (49), Mark Trumbo (47) and Nelson Cruz (40). He’s also the ninth player in franchise history with 40, including Chris Davis twice.

Shane Baz kept waiting for more offense. His 3.49 run support average before tonight actually climbed to third lowest in the majors, but he’s grown accustomed to scant support.

Gunnar Henderson tripled in the fourth and homered off Chad Dallas with two outs in the sixth, his 24th this season, to cut the lead to 3-2. But the Orioles couldn’t put Baz in position for the win.

Baz allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings to leave his ERA at 4.11 with his final start expected Sunday at Yankee Stadium. His 15 losses remain tied for most in the majors.

Henderson’s triple came against Brendan Celluci with one out in the fourth. Dallas entered, struck out Coby Mayo and retired Christian Encarnacion-Strand on a fly ball. Henderson’s homer was the Orioles’ third hit of the night.

The game started 47 minutes late due to rain. Leadoff hitter Brett Bateman drew a full-count walk on a pitch clock violation. Hardly worth the wait.

Alejandro Kirk also ran the count full and earned his walk on a questionable check swing. Nathan Lukes and George Springer singled, Sean Keys flied to right, and the Blue Jays led 3-0.

Rookie Kazuma Okamoto also singled, but right fielder Rece Hinds made a sliding backhand catch to rob Josh Smith. Baz threw 28 pitches.

The Blue Jays managed only two more hits off Baz before Yennier Cano was summoned with two outs in the seventh. Baz retired 12 in a row after a walk and single put him in a bind to begin the third.

Andrés Giménez ended the streak with a bloop single in the seventh. A ground ball followed and Baz was done after 92 pitches.

Blue Jays center fielder Brett Bateman made a sliding catch to deny Hinds in the second and came out of the game with right hip discomfort. X-rays were negative for a fracture. Starter Trey Yesavage left after two innings because he just came off the IL.

Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo stayed in the game after a foul ball slammed off his mask in the fifth, but he exited in the top of the seventh.

His replacement, Carlos Narváez, popped up a bunt to reliever José Rodríguez after Encarnacion-Strand’s leadoff single in the seventh. Hinds grounded into a double play.

Pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson took two pitches in the eighth before popping up with Franklin on first base and no outs. Dylan Beavers flied out and Alonso had another big swing in the bag.

It produced a 112.9 mph shot, a fourth 40-homer season and cause for celebration in a clubhouse that’s dying to make some noise.

Minor matters

The Orioles honored their organizational award winners before the game.

Top pitcher Joseph Dzierwa went from second-round pick in 2025 out of Michigan State to sensational first-year pro with a combined 2.27 ERA and 0.901 WHIP in 26 games between High-A Frederick and Double-A Chesapeake. He struck out 149 and surrendered only eight home runs in 131 innings.

Asked what the Orioles introduced to Dzierwa along the way that keyed his success, he replied, “I think a little bit from everything, from the strength/conditioning side, some stuff in the weight room, mentally, just kind of the process and long season, sticking to it. And pitching, I learned a lot from our pitching coaches, coordinators and just kind of what I can tweak here and there.

“And obviously, I needed to add breaking balls and I feel that’s something we did this season. I threw a lot of them, which in college I didn’t really throw too many, so it was pretty cool to see.”

Top position player Wehiwa Aloy, also a member of the 2025 draft class, slashed .288/.358/.506 with 20 doubles, four triples, 25 home runs, 92 RBIs, 52 walks, 84 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 123 games between Frederick and Chesapeake

“The goal at the beginning of the season was just to win,” he said. “I think we had a pretty good conversation about that when the season first began. And yeah, just going day in and day out, just trying to do whatever it takes to win and the results will take care of itself later.”

Frederick manager Collin Woody, recipient of the player development award, recalled a meeting with president of baseball operations Mike Elias and Orioles manager Craig Albernaz on the first day of spring training. Getting players ready for the majors was a primary goal, but Albernaz emphasized that victories mattered, too, and the Keys set a franchise record with 83 and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“It was fun going into this year, valuing winning as a major league skill,” Woody said. “That was something we pushed hard in Frederick and it was fun to have that work out.”

Director of player development Anthony Villa had a similar message later in camp. He checked a talented roster and defined the mission for Woody.

Go win the league.

“I talked to the staff about it, we were all really excited about it,” Woody said. “Encouraged the players, set the expectation, like, ‘This is what we’re gonna go do.’ Talented group of individuals. You guys have the ability to go out there and whoop butt every night. That was what we decided to go do, and the guys took it and ran with it and had fun with it.”