The Orioles filled the dugout this evening, a much larger turnout than normal about an hour before first pitch. Legends who preceded their arrivals in Baltimore came out of the tunnel one by one and walked onto the field, including some Hall of Famers. Cal Ripken Jr. was introduced and circled the warning track in a red Corvette convertible, spinning wheels allowing him to skip the jog from 30 years earlier.
The numbers 2131 hung from the warehouse again. The 1995 Orioles finished in third place in their division and missed the playoffs again. The 2025 team is in last place and also headed home after the final game. Past and present got to mingle tonight, the younger crowd captivated by the history lesson.
Little did they know that they’d almost end up on the wrong side of history. And then created their own celebration with a wild finish.
Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed a no-hitter for 8 2/3 innings before Jackson Holliday homered to right field, the Orioles loaded the bases, drew a walk and watched Emmanuel Rivera line a two-run single into center field off Tanner Scott for an improbable 4-3 victory before an announced sellout crowd of 42,612.
Yamamoto threw 112 pitches, the last a 2-1 cutter that bounced back onto the field. Jackson sped up, thinking double, and was signaled home. Yamomoto left the game to a standing ovation from Dodgers fans. He walked two batters in the third inning and retired 19 in a row, getting two easy outs in the ninth on a strikeout and fly ball.
The Mariners’ Hisashi Iwakuma last no-hit the Orioles on Aug. 12, 2015 in Seattle. The only no-hitter at Camden Yards was spun by the Red Sox’s Hideo Nomo on April 4, 2001. In between was Boston’s Clay Buchholz on Sept. 1, 2007 at Fenway Park.
Tonight would have marked the eighth time that the Orioles were held hitless, but Holliday took over the team lead with his 17th homer. And then it got crazy.
Jeremiah Jackson doubled off Blake Treinen, Gunnar Henderson was hit by a pitch, both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Ryan Mountcastle walked to load the bases. Colton Cowser walked on five pitches and manager Dave Roberts rolled the dice with Scott, who surrendered Samuel Basallo's walk-off homer last night. Rivera lined 1-1 fastball into center field and an unexpected celebration unfolded.
Players chased down Rivera in center field and doused him. The crowd went wild, with the Orioles winning their fifth game in a row.
Basallo came out of the game in the fifth inning after Ben Rortvedt’s bunted ball struck him on the right hand. Basallo sailed two practice throws into center field and left with head athletic trainer Scott Barringer and interim manager Tony Mansolino.
Pitcher Chayce McDermott arrived today on the 24-hour medical taxi squad in case Dean Kremer goes on the injured list. Basallo, who has right hand discomfort, will try to stay on the active roster. He’d probably sit Sunday against lefty Clayton Kershaw.
Trevor Rogers allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings, his most since July 20 in Tampa, and the eight hits tied his season high. Shawn Dubin inherited two runners in the sixth and stranded them.
Broadcasters Chris Berman and Jon Miller were introduced first during the pregame ceremony, and then came the players: Larry Sheets, Bobby Bonilla, Rafael Palmeiro, Ben McDonald, Al Bumbry, B.J. Surhoff, Brady Anderson, surprise guest Ken Griffey Jr., Harold Baines, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer and Eddie Murray – the Cooperstown inductees saved for last.
Ripken gave a speech, joined by wife Laura, son Ryan and other family members, including step-children that he called his “bonus kids.” He knelt on the edge of the grass in front of home plate to receive the ceremonial first pitch from Ryan, but Murray coaxed him into moving back to the proper spot.
“Hold on, hold on,” Murray said, waiving his arms. Ripken always viewed Murray as a mentor and tonight was no different.
President Bill Clinton was in the booth when Ripken hit his home run on 2,131, and the Orioles played a video message from him between innings tonight. Maybe an in-person visit would have changed their luck.
Shohei Ohtani led off the first with a single and Teoscar Hernández grounded into a 4-3 double play. The Dodgers led 1-0 in the second when Miguel Rojas led off with a double, Enrique Hernández walked, the runners moved up on a bunt and Ohtani grounded to short with the infield playing back.
Freddie Freeman’s one-out triple didn’t impact the score. Rogers retired the next two batters on a grounder to third baseman Emmanuel Rivera and a fly ball to left.
Rojas doubled again leading off the fifth and went to third base on Enrique Hernández’s single. Rotvedt laid down a sacrifice bunt after Basallo exited, Ohtani struck out and Mooke Betts gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead with a 104.2 mph line drive that Henderson leaped to knock down but couldn’t keep in his glove.
The game wasn’t official with the Orioles trailing, but 4 ½ innings meant reliving more of 2,131. Ripken emerged from the dugout, coaxed by Palmeiro and Bonilla. Al Bumby stood in the first base coach’s box. All of them wearing Orioles jerseys.
Palmeiro gave Ripken another push, but baseball’s Iron Man only went a little bit past the dugout before circling back. Can’t delay another game, especially with Yamamoto working on a no-hitter.
The Dodgers scored a run off Albert Suárez in the seventh on Betts’ RBI triple.
Dylan Beavers and Basallo drew back-to-back walks to start the third and a strikeout and double play ended the threat. Alex Jackson, who replaced Basallo, lined out to left fielder Alex Call at 108.1 mph to lead off the sixth.
The Orioles hit four home runs on Sept. 6, 1995 in a 4-2 win over the Angels. Not everything could be replicated tonight, but they only needed one.