It took the A’s awhile to get Mason Miller a lead on Friday night, but it was worth the wait.
Abraham Toro doubled home the tying run in the top of the ninth inning, and Brent Rooker’s double scored Shea Langeliers from first base with two out in the top of the 10th before Miller did the rest in the A’s 3-2 comeback win at Camden Yards.
Brent Rooker #25 of the Oakland Athletics slides into home plate and scores in the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 26, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Miller retired all three batters he faced in the bottom of the 10th, two by strikeout for his seventh save in seven chances.
After Miller stuck out Gunnar Henderson on a 101.8 mph fastball with a runner on third to end it, the righty punched the air in delight.
“This is as much energy as we’ve had. You can kind of feel it in there,” starter Ross Stripling said. “A comeback win against a really good team, the boys are enjoying it.”
After taking two of four from the Yankees, Oakland got off to a good start against another strong AL East club.
“We’re holding our own. We’re starting to get some momentum and confidence,” Stripling said. “It’s been fun.”
Langeliers also homered in the first for the A’s, now 2-15 when trailing after eight innings.
After being swept by Cleveland to begin this East Coast road trip, the A’s have won three of five with two more games left against the American League East-leading Orioles.
Miller’s latest dominating performance came a day after he closed out the A’s series-finale at Yankee Stadium with a four-out save. Friday was the first time he saved games in consecutive days.
Baltimore took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth and turned to their All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel. But the veteran right-hander couldn’t get through the inning. He threw 23 pitches, but just eight for strikes.
Kimbrel walked three and uncorked a wild pitch that momentarily allowed the A’s to go ahead in the top of the ninth. But the initial call was overruled when video replays showed that Kimbrel had tagged JJ Bleday before he reached home.
After Kimbrel issued his second and third walks of the inning to load the bases with one out, Keegan Akin worked out of the jam. It was the second blown save in nine opportunities this season for Kimbrel, who in his previous appearance matched John Franco for sixth all-time with his 424th save.
“We took advantage of Kimbrel giving us an opening there and then pulled out a big win here in Baltimore that most people did not see coming,” Stripling said.
The comeback was too late for Stripling, who is winless in six starts.
The veteran’s run of poor luck – and run support – has been the main culprit. Stripling held the high-powered Orioles to two runs, but left in the sixth inning with the A’s trailing 2-1. In six starts, the A’s have scored just six runs with Stripling in the game.
Ryan O’Hearn made it 1-1 with a two-out single in the third inning, and Cedric Mullins put the Orioles up 2-1 in the fourth with a drive that sailed far beyond the right-field scoreboard.
Langeliers hit his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot off former N.L. Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes in the first inning.
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Burnes, the former Saint Mary’s star, gave up one run and three hits in six innings, with Langeliers’ homer the one glaring flaw. Burnes struck out six and walked three.
Mitch Spence took over in the seventh inning and the A’s trailing 2-1, and the Rule V draft pick pitched three no-hit innings of relief. Spence walked one and struck out two to keep the A’s in the game.
• JP Sears (1-1, 3.38 ERA) starts Saturday for Oakland in the second game of the series. The lefty is 1-0 with an 0.52 ERA in his last three outings. Baltimore will start former A’s lefty Cole Irvin (1-1, 4.64), who’s coming off a solid performance in Kansas City (6 2/3 scoreless innings) that provided him his first win since June 10, 2023.
• The A’s may be getting more pitching depth soon. Luis Medina (knee sprain) and Ken Waldichuk (elbow) threw bullpen sessions before the game, the second for each lefty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
