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A day that began with the Orioles making a seller move concluded with a doubleheader sweep that could get more people buying into the idea that the 2025 season is salvageable.
Jordan Westburg hit a two-run homer off Mets left-hander Brandon Waddell in the second inning, Colton Cowser broke a tie in the fifth with an RBI single and the Orioles didn’t let up in a 7-3 victory over the Mets before an announced Game 2 crowd of 17,961 at Camden Yards.
Tomoyuki Sugano was down 2-0 in the first inning and lost a lead in the fourth, but he earned his first win since June 3 – also his most recent quality start and the last time he got through the sixth. Fans stood to cheer as he walked back to the dugout after 99 pitches.
A bullpen that lost Bryan Baker to this morning’s trade with the Rays tossed three scoreless innings in a combined effort from Andrew Kittredge, Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez. Domínguez allowed the only two baserunners.
Duel victories improved the Orioles to 42-50, their first time being eight games below .500 since May 6. Their last doubleheader sweep was June 25, 2016 against the Rays. Kevin Gausman and Oliver Drake combined on a shutout in Game 1 and T.J. McFarland recorded the win in Game 2 after relieving Chris Tillman.
The Orioles snapped a streak of 29 consecutive doubleheaders without a sweep, the longest since the Braves failed in 31 tries from 1972-74, per the Elias Sports Bureau. And they returned to the clubhouse, filled with celebratory smoke, six game behind for the last Wild Card. It later became 6 1/2.
"We obviously faced a pretty good team today, and we won," Sugano said via interpreter Yuto Sakurai. "In the past month or so, we’ve been playing really well. I still believe strongly that this team has a shot.”
"You guys don’t want to hear it, but there’s still time, and despite making a move this morning," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "And I’m sure our obituary was probably getting written somewhere this morning because we made a trade."
Sugano registered an 8.87 ERA and 2.149 WHIP in his last five outings before today. His seventh quality start broke a tie with Zach Eflin for the team lead.
“He’s a tremendous pitcher," said catcher Alex Jackson. "His execution, the way he moves the ball around, what he’s trying to accomplish, and he sticks to his plan. And he goes out there and competes.”
Some changes were made in Sugano's delivery that included weight distribution, and his velocity increased.
"Making sure all the pitches go down. That's something I had in mind throughout the game," Sugano said. "Constant communication with Frenchy (Drew French) and the coaching staff definitely helped me get to where I am today.
"I haven't been hit like this throughout my career. But I just made sure I don't doubt myself and stay confident with what I have."
“It was sharp, it was firm," Mansolino said. "The fastball ticked up. It had life. It sounded heavy when the catcher was catching it. The number on the board was three ticks up. A lot of 95s, I saw. I saw 96 at one point.
"Tomo’s making adjustments. We’ve talked about that. The league has adjusted to him and he's got to kind of adjust back. That’s a heck of a lineup he kind of rolled through right there, the top five guys. We’re proud of him.”
Sugano's family attended the game after switching their travel plans following yesterday's rainout.
"I obviously want to pitch well and do well for this game," he said, "so yeah, for sure, it was motivating."
The Orioles are starting Dean Kremer, Trevor Rogers and Brandon Young in the weekend series against the Marlins, who counter with Edward Cabrera, Janson Junk and Eury Pérez. Sugano can rest through the All-Star break.
“I don’t know where he lines up right now. There’s a couple of different spots kind of discussed with him," Mansolino said. "The pitching group, we’ll all sit down and kind of navigate, get player input, see where things should go. You’ve got guys going out on rehab and all that stuff, coming Sunday, too. There’s a lot of moving pieces there.
"Really happy for Tomo. He’s a really successful and proud player who’s done incredible things in his career and the way the last month went if probably the first time in his career he’s ever gone through that, so to see him come out on top against a playoff-caliber team, a team that’s a half-game out of the NL East, or whatever it is, a pretty tough division, is something he should have a lot of pride in.”
Gunnar Henderson singled off reliever Justin Hagenman in the fifth, Ramón Laureano walked and Cowser singled into center field to snap a 3-3 tie. Another run scored when third baseman Brett Baty misplayed Ramón Urías’ bouncer.
Waddell was the Mets’ opener in his first major league start out of 20 appearances, including one inning with the Orioles in 2021. He loaded the bases in the first inning, with shortstop Francisco Lindor extending the jam by making a late underhand toss to second base on an attempted force with two outs. Cowser lined to first baseman Pete Alonso, but Waddell threw 32 pitches and got smacked around in the second.
Cedric Mullins and Alex Jackson doubled with one out – the new backup catcher collecting his first hit and RBI with the Orioles in his first at-bat – and Westburg launched a slider 413 feet to left field at 110 mph for his 10th home run and a 3-2 lead.
Jackson doubled again leading off the sixth and scored with one out on Westburg’s sharp ground ball that Lindor fielded, making a slick backhand stop of a 104.9 mph scorcher, before a late throw to the plate. Westburg scored when Laureano beat out a possible double play ball, pushing the advantage to 7-3.
“It’s always nice," Jackson said of his contributions. "Anytime you can put the ball in play and help the team win, it’s that cherry on top. It’s definitely super nice to be able to barrel up some balls and get the job done.”
Sugano got in immediate trouble but retired nine in a row after Lindor’s double with no outs in the first. Juan Soto had an RBI grounder and Alonso a sacrifice fly.
Soto drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and stole second base. Jeff McNeill walked with one out, Sugano went cutter/sweeper/four-seam fastball to strike out Mark Vientos, and Baty lined a game-tying single into right-center.
Sugano stranded two runners in the fifth and retired the side in order in the sixth.
"The fellas went out and played, man, and they had energy," Mansolino said. "It was a really good day."
* The Orioles recalled reliever Colin Selby from Triple-A Norfolk before Game 2 and optioned catcher David Bañuelos.
* Norfolk's Chayce McDermott was charged with one earned run and two total in 5 1/3 innings in Jacksonville but came out of Game 1 of a doubleheader with right elbow discomfort. He walked one and struck out six.
Cionel Pérez let an inherited runner score and was charged with two runs in two-thirds of an inning. He allowed three hits, walked a batter and struck out two.
* The Orioles won’t have a representative in the All-Star Home Run Derby. The participants are Ronald Acuña Jr., Byron Buxton, Junior Caminero, Oneil Cruz, Cal Raleigh, Brent Rooker, James Wood and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
