Tyler Wells isn’t in a band and he isn’t interested in playing second fiddle.
He knows how to conduct himself against a phenom.
Wells was the other starter tonight opposite the Pirates’ Paul Skenes, the former first-overall draft pick and reigning National League Rookie of the Year who naturally drew most of the attention. Wells didn’t care. He’s just glad to be back on a mound.
Skenes shut out the Orioles for five innings before manager Don Kelly removed him from the game as part of a planned ramp down. Wells kept going, lasting 6 2/3 innings with one run and one hit allowed, and the Orioles produced their fourth walk-off win in five games, 2-1, over the Pirates before an announced crowd of 18,210 at Camden Yards.
Jackson Holliday’s two-out RBI single off former Orioles reliever Isaac Mattson tied the game in the eighth. Albert Suárez didn’t let the automatic runner score in the 10th, the bullpen’s exceptional month continuing with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, and Dylan Beavers pulled a full-count pitch down the left field line to score pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and ignite another celebration.
Kyle Nicolas walked Colton Cowser on four pitches, eliminating the sacrifice bunt attempt. Daniel Johnson reached on a bunt single to load the bases before Beavers stepped to the plate and produced his first career walk-off.
Spencer Horwitz homered with one out in the fourth inning to provide the game’s only run until Holliday’s clutch hit. Wells retired 20 of his 22 batters, walking one and striking out six.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino didn’t let him go past 89 pitches in his second appearance after elbow surgery.
Wells came within an out of matching his career high of seven innings, last done on May 13, 2023 against the Pirates, when he blanked them on one hit. He hadn’t gone 6 2/3 since June 15, 2023 against the Blue Jays.
Skenes lived up to the hype, as usual, but he didn’t stay past 64 pitches. He allowed two hits, walked none and struck out eight while lowering his ERA to 1.92. His strikeout of Coby Mayo in the third inning was his 200th this season, and he tagged on three more.
Wells wouldn’t back down. He plowed through the Pirates’ lineup his first time through it, getting three ground balls in the second inning and striking out the side in the third on a slider, cutter and fastball.
Ten in a row were retired before Horwitz homered to right field in the fourth. Wells responded by setting down the next five and 10 of 11.
Asked earlier today about the next steps he wanted to see from Wells, Mansolino recounted how Kyle Bradish impressed in his debut, lost some command in his next outing and regained it last night.
“I just think with these rehab guys, guys coming off these pretty elaborate surgeries, just trying to see consistency,” Mansolino said. “If they’re consistently solid and good, I think we’re winning right there with those guys. But I do think it’s inevitable that there’s going to be some ups and downs.”
Wells improved from his debut start in San Diego, where he allowed two runs in five innings. He threw 10 pitches in the first inning, nine in the second and 15 in the third because of the strikeouts.
Ji Hwan Bae drew a leadoff walk in the sixth and stole second base. Wells struck out Henry Davis on a cutter and retired Jared Triolo on a fly ball and Horwitz on a grounder. Reynolds struck out on a cutter in the seventh, Tommy Pham flied out and Wells received a loud ovation as he walked to the dugout.
Ryan Mountcastle reached on an infield single leading off the second inning and Samuel Basallo grounded into a double play. Beavers doubled with one out in the third, 106.5 mph off the bat, and was stranded.
Skenes retired the next eight batters and was done.
Reliever Carmen Mlodzinski walked Beavers and Holliday in the sixth, but a caught stealing and force killed the rally.
Cowser singled off the right field wall leading off the eighth and Dylan Carlson lined a single into center. Mattson retired the next two batters, but Holliday poked a changeup into left field to tie the game.
Kade Strowd inherited two runners from Shawn Dubin in the eighth and stranded them. Rico Garcia, working on back-to-back nights, tossed a scoreless ninth with a walk and strikeout.
The Orioles are 68-77 and have won seven of their last eight and eight of 10.
* Tyler O’Neill hit a solo home run tonight with Triple-A Norfolk and also walked. He’s expected to rejoin the team Friday in Toronto.
Gary Sánchez singled in his first at-bat.
Double-A Chesapeake’s Creed Willems was removed from the game with back tightness.