Trevor Rogers sprinted from the dugout to the mound tonight after Jackson Holliday made the last out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Yankees players hadn’t started to come off the field and Rogers wanted to begin warming. He might have set a land speed record.
Rogers exudes confidence, always in control, always giving the Orioles a chance, whether he’s working in a five- or six-man rotation.
Ryan Mountcastle moved down from leadoff to cleanup tonight and gave them an early lead with the loudest home run of his career, and he expanded it with a sacrifice fly.
Reduced to playing the role of spoiler, the Orioles slowed the Yankees’ pursuit of first place in the division with a 4-2 victory before an announced crowd of 26,269 at Camden Yards.
Rogers tossed five no-hit innings before Austin Wells led off the sixth with a ground ball single. Dylan Beavers made two outstanding catches on consecutive plays to ensure that Rogers would keep the Yankees scoreless under his watch, and the Orioles improved to 73-81 while preserving their slim hopes of a .500 season. They’ve got to run the table.
Dietrich Enns surrendered a two-run homer to Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the seventh that reduced the lead to 3-2, but Gunnar Henderson doubled off Tim Hill in the bottom half of the inning to plate Jordan Westburg.
Rico Garcia stranded two runners in the eighth inning and Keegan Akin notched his eighth save.
The six shutout innings lowered Rogers’ ERA to 1.35 in 17 starts. Wells had the only hit. Rogers walked two batters, struck out seven and received a standing ovation after his season-high 106th pitch, one fewer than his career best.
Wells twice had to hustle back to first base in the sixth because Beavers committed robbery in left field. The rookie made a leaping catch at the fence on Paul Goldschmidt’s fly ball and raced in to snag Aaron Judge’s sinking liner. Rogers shook his head in disbelief after the second grab.
Mountcastle led off the second inning against Will Warren with a 422-foot shot to left field, and the 114.3 mph exit velocity was unmatched among his 97 homers. He’s hit only six this season in 84 games.
A four-seam fastball was scalded. Mountcastle lined it over the Bird Bath sign and into the seats, a nice reminder of the power he’s packing.
The Orioles failed to build on their second-inning lead, wasting Samuel Basallo’s two-out single and Colton Cowser’s double. A 1-0 score held until Jordan Westburg reached on Warren’s fielding error leading off the sixth, Gunnar Henderson reached on an infield single for his 500th career hit, the runners moved up on Chisholm’s error on the play, and Mountcastle lined to right field at 104.4 mph.
Rogers has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts, the longest streak in Orioles history and longest in the majors since the Dodgers’ Julio Urías (17) from July 16, 2022-April 10, 2023. He owns the lowest ERA in club history over the first 17 starts, staying ahead of Jim Palmer (1.56) and Milt Pappas (1.74).
His WHIP is down to 0.87 and opponents’ average to .178. His stock keeps rising.
Rogers struck out five of the first seven batters, finishing hitters with his fastball, sinker and changeup. Anthony Volpe launched a slider 401 feet to the center field track, where Cowser ran it down.
Wells was the first baserunner with a two-out walk in the third inning, and Rogers hit Goldschmidt with an 0-2 sweeper. Judge struck out looking for the second time, taking a sinker on the inner half of the plate.
Giancarlo Stanton walked with one out in the fourth and Amed Rosario grounded into a double play. Rogers retired the side in order in the fifth, with Cowser racing into right-center and reaching down to catch Volpe’s fly ball.
A grounder by Wells at 107.8 mph broke up the no-hit bid. Rogers waved to fans after the inning and teammates swarmed him in the dugout.
* Gary Sánchez singled and homered tonight at Triple-A Norfolk. He was the designated hitter.
Adley Rutschman singled and walked.
Levi Wells tossed six scoreless innings with one hit, four walks and three strikeouts.