Mere hours following the celebration commemorating three decades since Cal Ripken Jr. achieved the remarkable feat of breaking the consecutive games played record, the Baltimore Orioles held another joyous event at Camden Yards. The Orioles experienced a dramatic shift, transitioning from being on the verge of a no-hit loss with two outs in the ninth inning against Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to securing an improbable walk-off victory on Saturday night (BAL 4, LAD 3).
“I believe some of Cal’s inspirational presence was felt and influenced our performance there in the ninth,” expressed O’s interim manager Tony Mansolino after the game (as reported by the Baltimore Sun).
Infielder Jackson Holliday shattered the no-hitter bid with a two-out home run in the ninth. He is the first player to disrupt a no-hitter with a two-out ninth-inning homer since Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager against Houston Astros lefty Framber Valdez last Aug. 6. Here is the home run, which came on Yamamoto’s season-high 112th pitch:
“To be honest, I was simply aiming to find a pitch I could hit and avoid getting out,” Holliday shared with reporters, including those from the Baltimore Sun, following the game. He added that he realized in the eighth inning that the no-hitter situation would likely come down to him with two outs in the ninth.
The home run marked the end of Yamamoto’s outing. He displayed exceptional skill, issuing only two walks (both in the third inning) and recording 10 strikeouts. Right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen took over from Yamamoto but failed to retire any of the four batters he faced (allowing a double, a hit-by-pitch, and two walks in succession). Former Oriole Tanner Scott then entered the game and conceded the two-run walk-off single to Emmanuel Rivera.
“Words cannot express how I feel,” Treinen commented after the game. “I undermined what was one of the most outstanding performances I’ve ever witnessed from Yamamoto. He deserved a far better outcome.”
“This is exceptionally meaningful,” Rivera remarked regarding the walk-off win on the anniversary of Ripken’s record. “Not solely because of the ceremony and all the events surrounding it, but also due to the result of this game.”
Saturday marks the lengthiest no-hit effort in a loss since the Milwaukee Brewers carried a no-hitter into the 11th inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 10, 2023. The Yankees achieved their first hit with one out in the 10th inning of that game, ultimately winning it with Kyle Higashioka’s walk-off double in the 13th inning.
The defeat marked the fifth consecutive loss for the Dodgers and their seventh loss in the past eight games. Their lead in the NL West has narrowed to a single game over the San Diego Padres (SD 10, COL 8). Saturday marked the Dodgers’ fourth consecutive game scoring three runs or fewer. Their offensive struggles, rather than pitching issues, have been the primary cause of their recent decline.
“It’s challenging to make sense of a game like this,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated after Saturday’s loss. “It feels like there were numerous instances where we gained some momentum, building on Yoshinobu’s remarkable outing, with the intention of carrying that into tomorrow. However, things took a complete turn.”
A no-hitter has yet to occur in baseball this season. Yamamoto becomes the third pitcher to maintain a no-hitter into the ninth inning this year, following Cincinnati Reds righty Nick Martinez (June 27 vs. Padres) and Cleveland Guardians righty Gavin Williams (Aug. 6 vs. New York Mets).
The last season without a no-hitter was 2005, and the last season without a no-hitter until September was 2006. Florida Marlins righty Aníbal Sánchez no-hit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 6 for 2006’s only no-hitter.
Saturday’s loss brought the Dodgers’ record to 78-64. The Orioles stand at 66-76.
