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 10^th, the bullpen’s exceptional month continuing with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, and Dylan Beavers pulled a full-count 98 mph fastball down the left field line to score pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and ignite another celebration.

"It's been awesome," Beavers said. "It's the most fun I've ever had playing ball. So keep it going. Winning's fun."

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.

"I just wanted to get the job done," Beavers said. "Bases loaded, no outs, just get that run in from third. So whether it was a ground ball through the hole or sac fly, just trying to end the game."

He did it after falling behind 0-2 in the count.

Yeah, it's not ideal," he said, "but I knew that he was going to have to throw something else over the plate, so just staying ready for that pitch and honing in on the middle zone.

"Similar approach to what I've been doing all year down in Norfolk. Just sticking to my zone, and if they're getting pitches on the corners, then so be it. But yeah, I know where I can do damage is in the middle of the plate, the heart of the plate, so that's kind of what I'm looking for. Anything else, I try not to swing at."

“He looks like an old guy hitting in a lot of ways," said interim manager Tony Mansolino. "We’ve seen a lot of young guys come here and be overly aggressive. He’s probably the first one I’ve seen that takes an at-bat like a guy that’s been in the big leagues for seven or eight years.”

The moment hasn't gotten too big for the rookie, playing tonight in his 20th major league game.

"Even when I've got a lot going on between the ears, I try and control my breath, and I feel like that's the key for me," he said. "No matter what I'm thinking about, if I'm breathing and my heart rate's down, I can go out and perform. So yeah, just making sure I control my breath and it's still the same game, so try and execute. It's stuff I work on every day."

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.

"You immediately knew at that point runs are a commodity," Wells said. "Being at the top of my game and making sure I’m going out there and giving the team a chance to win, that’s where my primary focus was. Two very big guys going out there and two very different ways of pitching a game. He was great tonight, and fortunately, we just came out on top."

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.

“Another good one right there," Mansolino said. "I told Frenchy (Drew French), after the third inning, I kind of alluded to the fact that if we got a little bit later in the game and he was doing what he was doing, we were gonna have to pull him before it kind of became a thing. I was worried about him going too far in that game coming off the surgery and second outing here in the big leagues. But it was so efficient.

"The command, he threw a 1-0 slider at one point and I told (Robinson) Chirinos, ‘This is the big leagues, this is hard.’ For him to throw that pitch in that spot coming off surgery and doing the whole deal, it’s just … And it kind of feels like he picked up where he left off.”

"I feel great," Wells said. "Right now, I would say this is probably the best that I’ve felt after a start of any starts that I’ve had. Definitely felt like I had a little bit more in the tank. Just really happy with the way I’ve been recovering and the way that it’s been going."

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 200^th 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.

"There’s nothing like coming to the Yard and being back with the fans here in Baltimore," he said. "I was very excited all week to kind of get this one going. Even though it was a little bit of a longer rest in between, it kind of just felt like forever, the anticipation. So I’m just really happy to be back out there with the fans here and just really grateful for them to come out and support tonight."

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.

"This is my favorite part about Baltimore, whenever the fans rally together, not just around a singular guy, but the team," Wells said. "Being able to show their support for the guys the way that they’ve shown support for us, and even me tonight, those are things you’re always grateful for."

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. They secured their third straight series win and seventh in a row against Pittsburgh. They're 7-0 in series play at Camden Yards against the Pirates, the best home record by any active franchise, according to STATS.

"Our guys are hanging in there," Mansolino said. "They’re battling, they’re playing defense, they’re taking care of the ball right now, keeping us in the game, getting the big hit when we need it, drawing the big walk, and it’s been fun.”

The Orioles took infield this afternoon but also are staying sharp with their celebrations. They've had lots of practice lately.

"I knew I wasn't getting away from the Gatorade, so I was ready for it, but it was awesome," Beavers said. "I've had walk-offs in the past coming up, but it's the big leagues, it's what you dream of. That's where you want to get those hits or come through in those situations. So it's pretty, pretty awesome, special for me."

"Walk-offs are always fun," Wells said. "I think my favorite part is whenever I’m out there and I’m able to just soak people with water, I think that’s the fun part. But I think it’s great for the team energy. It builds a lot of camaraderie amongst the guys, having to rely on one another. Honestly, if you look at the last three, it’s been two rookies that have done some pretty cool things in big moments. When we’re looking at it, I think that’s the cool part."

* 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 and homered in his first rehab game.

Double-A Chesapeake’s Creed Willems was removed from the game with back tightness.