The second pitch thrown by Roansy Contreras with the Orioles drilled Alex Bregman in the middle of the back. Bregman winced and bent forward as the Red Sox’s athletic trainer rushed onto the field. Contreras had followed an opener and raised a welt.
Contreras was a pain to the Red Sox for most of his outing, retiring 12 of 14 after Bregman reached base in the Orioles’ 3-2 loss before an announced crowd of 16,790 at Camden Yards. He tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings, with three hits allowed, and came close to earning his first win since July 28 with the Angels.
That reward went up in smoke in the ninth inning on Ceddanne Rafaela's two-run homer off Keegan Akin after Jarren Duran's leadoff single. Akin stood with his hands on his hips as the ball headed for the splash zone.
Connor Wong drew a leadoff walk in the eighth and David Hamilton singled to put runners on the corners and bring Akin into the game. Akin struck out Roman Anthony and Bregman, and Trevor Story grounded into a force.
Contreras applauded from the dugout railing and stepped onto the field to slap hands with Akin and give him a pat. But Akin couldn't record the six-out save and the Orioles (60-73) fell to 1-6 on a homestand that concludes Thursday afternoon with Garrett Crochet waiting for them.
Coby Mayo made the final out, but it took 12 pitches. He struck out looking against Aroldis Chapman.
Brayan Bello walked Dylan Beavers with two outs in the seventh, and the rookie scored the tie-breaking run on Dylan Carlson’s fly ball to the base of the left-center field wall. Duran and Rafaela pulled up in a miscommunication, the second Orioles run that came with some assistance.
They tied the game in the second inning on Mayo’s two-out single, a passed ball and Beavers’ fly ball that popped out of Rafaela’s glove after an apparent diving catch. Rafaela couldn’t hold onto it as he hit the ground.
Contreras hadn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 29, 2024. The Orioles selected his contract today from Triple-A Norfolk after he posted 3.73 in 28 games with Triple-A Norfolk, half of them starts.
Contreras stranded Rafaela in the fourth after a one-out double, and Samuel Basallo threw out Hamilton trying to steal in the fifth after a one-out single.
Dietrich Enns worked the first 2 2/3 innings and allowed a run on Anthony’s leadoff homer in the first. Enns also surrendered an infield single to Duran before retiring the last six batters, striking out three. Twenty-two of his 34 pitches were strikes.
Anthony has two career leadoff homers, both against the Orioles. Tonight’s shot to center field came on a 3-1 pitch and traveled 416 feet at 108 mph. Colton Cowser gave it a courtesy chase.
Jeremiah Jackson extended his hitting streak to seven games with a one-out double in the first inning and was stranded. He’s collected a hit in 12 consecutive starts and 14 of 15.
Beavers lined a single into center field at 106.9 mph with one out in the fifth, close enough for Bello to flinch, but he was stranded.
Jackson reached on an error leading off the sixth, Gunnar Henderson grounded into a fielder’s choice and stole second base, and the Orioles still couldn’t break the tie. Bello struck out Ryan Mountcastle and Cowser.
Henderson joined Brady Anderson, Brian Roberts (six times) and Cedric Mullins as the only Orioles with back-to-back seasons with 30-plus doubles and 20-plus steals.
Beavers reached for a third time with his walk in the seventh inning. He’s batting .344 with a .1.038 OPS in 10 games.
* Tyler Wells made his final injury rehab start tonight with Norfolk and threw 90 pitches in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs and six hits with one walk and four strikeouts before exiting with two runners on base. Gwinnett’s Jonathan Ornelas hit a two-run homer in the fifth.
Double-A Chesapeake's Zach Fruit allowed one run and two hits with seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
High-A Aberdeen's Boston Bateman allowed two runs and two hits in three innings, with five walks and five strikeouts.