09/19/24 04:27:00
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09/19 16:25 CDT Anthony Santander's walk-off lifts Orioles to 5-3 win over
Giants
Anthony Santander's walk-off lifts Orioles to 5-3 win over Giants
By IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN
Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) --- Anthony Santander hit a game-winning home run for his 42nd
homer of the season and the Baltimore Orioles moved closer to a postseason
birth with a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
"That's a reminder of who we are," said Santander of an Orioles team nearly
assured of a playoff spot but mired in a rough patch. "A close game, and then
we stay positive, we stay together."
Santander's two-run shot off Ryan Walker (9-4) in the bottom of the ninth came
after Casey Schmitt tied it on a single off Seranthony Domnguez in the top of
the inning.
The shot landed a few feet over the front of the ground crew shed in
right-center to end an afternoon that began with Baltimore having lost three in
a row and eight of 10 to start five games behind New York in the AL East and
2.5 up on Kansas City for the top wild-card place.
"I was like this: ?huff, huff, huff, keep going please,'" Santander said while
making a blowing gesture. "I hit it good with the barrel, but too high. I was
hopeful that that ball kept going. And thankfully it did."
Gregory Soto (3-5) induced a quick double play in relief of Domnguez to keep
the game tied.
Earlier, Adley Rutschman had an RBI double and Jackson Holliday drove in two
runs with a two-out single to complete a three-run bottom of the fourth, after
Michael Conforto's 18th home run gave San Francisco a 2-0 lead in the top half.
"It felt like the guys were doing everything they can to win this game today,"
said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who recorded his 400th career victory. "Not
that they haven't been. But for me, this was a needed win."
That was the only offense until Schmitt's high arcing fly ball to right-center
following Domnguez's back-to-back walks.
The diving Austin Slater got his glove to it but couldn't hold on while
colliding with center fielder Cedric Mullins, and pinch-runner Brett Wisely
scored from second despite tagging on the play.
"We come back in the ninth and have some good at-bats late in the game like we
typically do," said Giants manager Bob Melvin. "But just fell an at-bat short."
Mullins received medical attention but remained in the game.
In the bottom half, with two outs and Gunnar Henderson on first, Santander
quickly fell behind 0-2 against Walker but took a ball and fouled off four
pitches before connecting on a slider over the middle.
"Don't really try to do too much," Santander said of the at-bat. "Just to see
the ball deep. And thank God I got a slider in the middle of the plate and I
put a good swing on it."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: LHP Danny Coulombe faced three batters and allowed a hit in his third
rehab outing at Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. Hyde said the club will make a
decision on his status after he goes through pregame activities with Norfolk on
Thursday. ... Hyde said he hopes 1B Ryan Mountcastle can begin a rehab
assignment with Norfolk sometime this weekend.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Ace Corbin Burnes (14-8, 3.06 ERA) makes what could be his final
regular-season start in Baltimore as the O's start a three-game set against
Detroit to close their home schedule. Burnes will be a free agent this
offseason.
Giants: Rookie RHP Mason Black (0-4, 7.07) takes his fourth turn since he was
recalled from Triple-A Sacramento at the end of August as the Giants play the
first of three against the Royals.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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