Orioles blast 3 homers, crush Angels, 11-2, to sweep series

Matt Weyrich, The Baltimore Sun on Jun 15, 2025

Published in Baseball

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BALTIMORE — On a day when the Orioles fielded a lineup without Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, Jackson Holliday or Ryan O’Hearn, their offense scored double-digit runs for just the third time this season.

The Orioles swept the Los Angeles Angels with an 11-2 win Sunday afternoon, treating a rain-soaked Father’s Day crowd of 33,370 to 12 hits, including six for extra bases. Gary Sánchez led the way with a grand slam, his second home run in as many games since being reinstated from the injured list, and two runs scored.

With the victory, the Orioles (30-40) pulled to within 10 games of the .500 mark for the first time since May 14 when they began their eight-game losing streak under former manager Brandon Hyde.

Interim skipper Tony Mansolino deployed an opener for the second time in four days, using right-hander Scott Blewett in front of Cade Povich to help shorten the game for the Orioles’ young left-handed starter. Blewett faced 10 batters, giving up a solo home run to first baseman Nolan Schanuel in the first inning and exiting with a runner on second base and two outs in the third. He left with a 2-1 lead, but a wild pitch by Povich allowed the inherited runner to score.

The Orioles scraped together a few early runs off Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi in another encouraging performance against a left-hander after they tagged Tyler Anderson for six runs in their 6-5 win on Saturday. Ramón Urías took Kikuchi deep with a two-run home run in the first, and Gunnar Henderson put Baltimore back in front three frames later when he doubled and scored on an RBI single by Ramón Laureano.

Kikuchi had 10 strikeouts and he came close to registering a quality start, but the Orioles plated a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to knock him out of the game. With Sánchez on first, Cedric Mullins bunted a chopper down the first base line that Kikuchi fielded and threw away into the right field corner. Sánchez scored from first, and then Coby Mayo hit a 105.7-mph double that scored Mullins from third to make it 5-2.

Povich, meanwhile, settled in and retired the next 10 batters he faced after the Schanuel RBI single to get the Orioles into the seventh. He then ran into trouble against the middle of the Angels’ lineup, loading the bases with one out. Mansolino pulled him for Seranthony Domínguez and the right-hander, who has allowed only one inherited runner to score this season, stranded three more with back-to-back strikeouts of center fielder Jo Adell and pinch hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. to get out of the jam without a run scoring.

The Orioles followed suit, loading the bases in the following frame, only they took advantage. Jordan Westburg singled and Urías followed with a double before the Angels intentionally walked Henderson with one out. After Laureano struck out, Sánchez, who didn’t hit a home run over his first 12 games this year before going on the IL, went deep to left-center field to break the game open.

Andrew Kittredge handled the eighth in 1-2-3 fashion and, after Westburg hit a two-run homer of his own in the ninth, Yennier Cano pitched a scoreless frame to finish the game.

Instant analysis

While a lot of attention has been focused on the improvements in the rotation recently, the Orioles’ bullpen has gone on an impressive run of its own. Since the start of June, Orioles relievers have combined for a 1.35 ERA — second best in MLB over that span.

Not only has Félix Bautista shaken off some inconsistencies and started increasing his velocity to show signs of returning to his dominant 2023 form, but the rest of the setup men in front of him have cruised, too. Bryan Baker has emerged as Mansolino’s preferred eighth-inning guy. Neither Domínguez nor Cano has allowed a run since May. Kittredge and Gregory Soto have been effective as well, giving Mansolino a right-handed and left-handed option late in games.

On deck

The Orioles wrapped up a 4-2 homestand and hit the road for an American League East trip that includes dates with the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees. Baltimore has yet to announce its starters for the Tampa Bay series.