Ryan Mountcastle singled in a 10th-inning run as the Baltimore Orioles recovered after squandering a six-run lead to beat the host Miami Marlins 7-6 and snap a three-game losing streak Thursday afternoon.
Connor Norby homered in his first game back in the major leagues since June 8, and Baltimore teammates Anthony Santander and hot-hitting Colton Cowser also went deep. All-Star pitcher Corbin Burnes was solid into the eighth inning, but plenty happened after he left.
The Marlins scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to extend the game at 6-6. Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel walked two and allowed two singles in the ninth.
Even Mountcastle’s go-ahead hit brought a highlight for the Marlins, who turned a double play with Cedric Mullins thrown out at the plate and Mountcastle thrown out at second base. Cionel Perez worked a perfect 10th for his second save.
The Marlins, despite Josh Bell hitting a homer for the second game in a row, were denied producing their first three-game win streak since mid-June. Bell, Xavier Edwards and Bryan De La Cruz each provided two hits.
Trailing 6-3, the Marlins loaded the bases with one out in the ninth off Kimbrel. They scored on Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson’s fielding error and Edwards’ sacrifice fly before Bell’s two-out, game-tying single. Right-hander Yennier Cano (4-2) came on and struck out De La Cruz to send the game to the extra inning.
Calvin Faucher (2-2) took the loss.
The Orioles finished 3-3 on a road trip coming out of last week’s All-Star break. Mountcastle added a double as four of Baltimore’s first seven hits went for extra bases. Mountcastle had three hits and Santander, Norby and Austin Hays all finished with two hits.
Burnes lasted 7 1/3 innings and was in line to notch his second win since starting the All-Star Game for the American League. He was charged with three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Marlins starter Roddery Munoz remains without a victory since May 1. He was tagged for six runs in five innings, giving up six hits and walking two.
Santander smashed his 28th homer of the year in the first inning. Cowser’s 14th long ball came in the third. Norby, who was summoned from Triple-A Norfolk after infielder Jorge Mateo’s injury earlier in the series, posted his second homer with Baltimore in the fourth inning for a 6-0 advantage.
Bell broke up Burnes’ shutout bid with his 12th homer of the season with two outs in the sixth. Burnes was charged with two more runs in the eighth, with Edwards’ infield single and De La Cruz’s two-out double supplying the runs.
Entering the ninth, all three games in the series could have ended with 6-3 scores.
–Field Level Media