Orioles score early, hold off Athletics for Baz’s first win since June, 5-3

Very little about today's 5-3 win was easy. It was one of those games where the Orioles scored a few runs early, then had to hang on for dear life while the starter got tired and the bullpen got weird. The O's posted four runs in the first six innings before Shane Baz, nearly unhittable for five, flagged, walking three batters, giving up two singles, and hitting a guy, all in a dreadful sixth inning. After him, several relievers struggled: Alex Hoppe, Rico Garcia, Cam Sanders, even closer by default by default Andrew Kittredge. But they just held on. And while the offense has been frustratingly touch-and-go all season, Orioles hitters did just enough tonight.

Athletics starter Jack Perkins doesn't have a ton of experience as a starting pitcher, but he has an interesting arsenal featuring a great changeup and a slider. Perkins started off strong: he pitched a 1-2-3 first inning and faced the minimum in the second, as Christian Encarnacion-Strand walked and Samuel Basallo hit into a double play.

But the Birds opened the scoring in the third, when Perkins walked leadoff man Coby Mayo on four pitches, then fired wildly over to first—he thought Mayo was going to steal?—and the ball got away. Mayo hustled to second, narrowly avoiding being thrown out. A Colton Cowser deep fly moved Mayo to third, setting up Leody Taveras for an RBI situation. Taveras delivered: he cranked a high changeup to center for a ground-rule double. 1-0 Orioles.