Orioles outslugged by MLB-worst Rockies, 6-5, after hitting 4 early homers

Matt Weyrich, The Baltimore Sun on Jul 25, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BALTIMORE — If the Orioles lose a baseball game and no one is in the seating bowl to see it, does it still count toward the standings?

Thunder and lightning in the area created a bizarre scene at Camden Yards in the sixth inning of Friday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies as the team played through the weather despite emptying the seating bowl of fans. Steady rain fell for about 10 minutes, but lightning flashes across the sky kept fans on the concourses until the bottom of the seventh.

An announced crowd of 25,090 was treated to some early thunder as the Orioles (45-58) launched four home runs their first turn through the lineup. Jordan Westburg, Tyler O’Neill, Coby Mayo and Alex Jackson all tattooed solo shots off Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, giving Dean Kremer a 4-0 lead to work with after two innings.

Kremer couldn’t keep it, surrendering two home runs of his own to center fielder Mickey Moniak and second baseman Thairo Estrada as the Rockies climbed all the way back to win, 6-5. Catcher Hunter Goodman tied the game on an RBI double in the fifth and left fielder Jordan Beck brought him home with a single up the middle to put Colorado (27-76) in front.

Though Kremer pitched through the rain to complete his eighth start of at least six innings this season — tied with Tomoyuki Sugano for the most on the Orioles — the five runs charged against him raised his ERA to 4.23.

Jackson Holliday (3 for 5) evened the score in the seventh on an RBI single, but the tie was short-lived. Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar took Andrew Kittredge deep to left field for a go-ahead blast — the seventh home run of the night between the teams — that proved to be the decisive shot.

Instant analysis

Pitching has been a primary source of the Orioles’ woes all season, but there’s no denying that their offense has consistently left runs on the field.

After their home run barrage, the Orioles collected two hits over their next four innings and finished 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. The patient line-drive approach that hitting coaches have preached this season hasn’t manifested into consistent production, even on nights when they’re sending the ball flying out of the yard.

On deck

The Orioles will look to even up the series Saturday behind the red-hot Trevor Rogers, who has a 1.74 ERA in seven starts since making his season debut in late May. He’ll be tasked with outdueling Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela, who leads the major leagues in losses (13) and hits allowed (146).

Around the horn

— Adley Rutschman is scheduled to play one more rehabilitation game Saturday with Triple-A Norfolk before the Orioles will reevaluate him to determine if he’s ready to come off the injured list, Mansolino said Friday. Rutschman started behind the plate for the Tides on Friday and began the night 1 for 4 with a single.

— Left-hander Cade Povich is scheduled to make another rehab start next week, but that could change depending on what the Orioles’ rotation looks like after the trade deadline. Povich worked up to five innings and 70 pitches in his last outing Thursday.

— Mansolino spoke with Kyle Bradish on Friday after he made his first rehab start Thursday since his Tommy John elbow surgery and the right-hander “felt great,” the interim skipper said. “For the ball to come out of his hand the way that it did after missing so much time, we’re really excited about him.”