Fans stood and cheered Orioles left-hander Cade Povich this afternoon as he walked off the mound for the last time in 2025. The game didn’t turn out as he wanted. The effort and ability to make 20 starts, along with two relief appearances, seemed to be appreciated.
The place erupted on Coby Mayo’s game-tying two-run homer in the eighth, and again in the ninth when Dylan Beavers demolished Kevin Kelly's first-pitch cutter and reached the flag court. Appreciated and celebrated with gusto. The ballpark came alive again before closing, the placement in the division standings irrelevant.
Beavers' walk-off homer gave the Orioles a 6-5 win over the Rays before an announced crowd of 16,777 at Camden Yards, which brought the season total to 1,803,655. The ball left his bat at 107.7 mph, and he flipped the lumber and yelled before beginning his trip around the bases.
Ryan Mountcastle homered, drove in two runs and reached base four times, and the Orioles won the series, raised their record to 75-84 and kept alive the chance to avoid a last-place finish with a three-game series remaining in New York. They went 39-42 at home this season.
Mayo jumped on the first pitch from reliever Kelly, a sinker that traveled 413 feet to left field at 107.6 mph for his 10th homer. Kelly entered after Mountcastle scored on Jesse Scholtens’ wild pitch. Jeremiah Jackson singled to aid the rally.
Adley Rutschman came off the bench, tripled to right field and was stranded, but Beavers delivered his second career walk-off hit.
Every outing is an education for Povich, who will vie for a spot in next year’s rotation. He rode the highs and lows, holding on tightly, and is aiming for more consistency in the future.
Povich was charged with five runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. The last run charged to him scored after he exited. Bob Seymour had an RBI single off Yaramil Hiraldo. Tristan Gray’s run-scoring double led to Povich’s removal at 99 pitches.
The Orioles were no-hit for six innings last night, but they created rallies today in the first two innings.
Gunnar Henderson was thrown out at third base in the first inning while attempting his 30th steal. He singled with two outs and Mountcastle reached on an error.
Jackson doubled and Colton Cowser and Mayo walked to load the bases with no outs in the second, but the next two batters struck out and Beavers lined a full-count fastball to Seymour at first base.
Shortening up their starters was a Tampa Bay strategy in the series. Drew Rasmussen was removed after 2 1/3 scoreless innings and 57 pitches. Scholtens replaced him, and Mountcastle homered onto the flag court with two outs.
Mountcastle ignored the left field wall in the third. Maybe it’s better that way. The home run was his seventh of the season, and social media speculation centered on whether it could be his last with the Orioles. He has one more year of arbitration eligibility and they have Mayo and Samuel Basallo.
The next RBI for Mountcastle came in the fifth inning against Scholtens after Beavers walked and Henderson singled. Mountcastle went to right field again with a single.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third, including Junior Caminero’s single at 111.3 mph, and didn’t waste the opportunity. Christopher Morel doubled on a first-pitch changeup and Richie Palacios lifted a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead, before the Orioles began chipping away at it.
The sixth inning provided some space for the Rays, but more was needed. Gray was denied a second RBI when Jorge Mateo took the throw from Jackson in right field nabbed Carson Williams at the plate.
Povich finishes his sophomore season with a 5.21 ERA in 112 1/3 innings. He went on the injured list June 16 with left hip inflammation and returned Aug. 4.
Tampa Bay loaded the bases again with no outs in the eighth, this time against Rico Garcia, and he escaped the jam. Garcia did the same in the eighth inning in Boston, but he inherited that mess and struck out three. He fanned two today and got the last out on a line drive.
Again, it proved to be a crucial part of the game.
* The Orioles brought back Carson Ragsdale, claiming the right-hander on waivers from the Braves and optioning him to the spring training complex. Right-hander Dom Hamel was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Hamel was claimed from the Mets on Saturday and optioned.
* With the Orioles moving the press box location, they invited former public relations director Bill Stetka to announce the game and season attendance. Stetka currently serves as Orioles alumni director.