Anthony Santander hit a game-ending two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, his 42nd longball of the season, and the Baltimore Orioles moved closer to a postseason berth with a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
“That’s a reminder of who we are,” Santander said of an Orioles team that’s 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 shot off Ryan Walker (9-4) came after Casey Schmitt tied the game at 3-all with a single off Seranthony Domínguez in the top of the ninth.
The walk-off homer landed a few feet over the front of the grounds crew shed in right-center to end an afternoon that began with Baltimore having lost three in a row and eight of 10. The Orioles (85-68) moved three games ahead of idle Kansas City for the top AL wild card and pulled within four games of the AL East-leading New York Yankees, who lost at Seattle.
“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.”
The Giants (74-79) were eliminated from playoff contention.
Gregory Soto (3-5) induced a quick double play in relief of Domínguez to keep the game tied.
Adley Rutschman had an RBI double and Jackson Holliday drove in two runs with a two-out single to complete a three-run fourth for Baltimore. 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.”
The teams traded zeroes until the ninth, when Dominguez walked the first two batters and Schmitt hit a high-arcing fly ball to right-center.
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,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “But just fell an at-bat short.”
Mullins received medical attention but remained in the game.
With Gunnar Henderson on first, Santander 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. “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.”
Orioles left-hander 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 first baseman Ryan Mountcastle can begin a rehab assignment with Norfolk sometime this weekend.
Orioles ace Corbin Burnes (14-8, 3.06) 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.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.