It’s been a tough stretch for the Baltimore Orioles, no doubt about it. Frustration had been bubbling under the surface for weeks, maybe even months. But all that pent-up energy came pouring out on a cool Friday night in Camden Yards when the Orioles faced off against the Detroit Tigers. The result? An offensive explosion that left Tigers’ fans shaking their heads and Orioles’ fans cheering as the O's blasted five home runs to claim a dominant 7-1 win in the series opener.
The star of the night? Well, let’s just say there were a few. But it all started with Anthony Santander, the slugger who’d already electrified the home crowd just 24 hours earlier with a walk-off two-run homer against the San Francisco Giants. On this night, Santander wasted no time setting the tone. In his very first at-bat, he crushed a two-run shot, igniting what would become a long night for Detroit. That first blast of the night sailed into the “Bird Bath” in Section 86, making a splash and setting the Orioles off on the right foot.
But Santander wasn’t the only one joining the home run parade. Colton Cowser and James McCann both had monster performances, each belting two home runs. Cowser, in particular, showcased his raw power, sending his first deep to straightaway center and then nearly reaching Eutaw Street with his second. His 22 homers this season are now third on the team and rank among the top of MLB rookies. McCann, not to be outdone, went yard twice as well, pulling both homers to left field. For the Orioles, it marked the first time since 2021 that two teammates hit multiple home runs in the same game. The duo of McCann and Cowser reminded everyone that this Baltimore team has serious offensive firepower when they’re clicking.
By the end of the night, all seven of Baltimore’s runs had come via the long ball, breaking a drought that had been plaguing their offense for months. Before this game, the Orioles hadn’t managed to hit three home runs in a single contest at Camden Yards since June 27. They didn’t just break that slump; they smashed it with authority. In fact, they hit so many homers that they even managed to break a hose off the hydration station in the dugout during the celebration—a fitting metaphor for the flood of offense that washed over the Tigers.
Speaking of the Tigers, it was a rough night all around for Detroit. Just a week earlier, they had come within one out of no-hitting the Orioles during a bullpen game. Manager A.J. Hinch tried a similar strategy this time, but the results were much different. Santander made sure to give Tigers’ opener Tyler Holton a rude welcome by launching his two-run homer early in the game. From there, the Orioles teed off on Keider Montero, the Tigers’ bulk reliever, knocking him around for five runs on seven hits, including the homers from Cowser and McCann. By the time Montero was done, the damage was already too much for Detroit to recover.
But the Orioles' resurgence at the plate wasn’t the only storyline of the night. Corbin Burnes took the mound and once again put on a clinic. Coming off a dominant seven scoreless innings in his last start against the Tigers, Burnes picked up right where he left off. Using his lethal cutter, he baffled Detroit’s hitters, scattering just two hits over seven shutout frames. He racked up eight strikeouts, his highest total since mid-May, and consistently forced weak contact, allowing him to wriggle out of the few jams he encountered. Burnes looked every bit like the ace Baltimore needed, putting his struggles from August behind him and sporting a shiny 1.08 ERA so far in September.
There’s no doubt the Orioles needed Burnes to return to form. It’s been a challenging few months for Baltimore. Injuries have taken their toll, but more than that, their offense had gone stagnant, leaving fans frustrated and anxious. Friday’s breakout performance at the plate was exactly the kind of catharsis the team needed, reminding everyone of just how dangerous they can be when things start to click. And boy, did things click.
It wasn’t just the offense, though. The Orioles got a boost from their bullpen too, with a feel-good story thrown in. Manager Brandon Hyde, with a comfortable lead in hand, decided to pull Burnes after seven innings and turn the ball over to setup man Danny Coulombe. This wasn’t just any outing for Coulombe. It marked his first appearance since early June after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow—a procedure that sidelined him for more than three months. Yet, when Coulombe took the mound, he showed no signs of rust. The lefty struck out the first batter he faced and worked around a couple of singles to post a scoreless eighth inning. It was a heartwarming moment for both Coulombe and the team, signaling that the Orioles’ bullpen just got a little stronger heading into the home stretch of the season.
As the night wore on and the scoreboard showed 7-1, Orioles fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate. It was their most lopsided victory against a team not named the Chicago White Sox since July 31, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With a record of 86-68, Baltimore is still very much in the playoff hunt, and if they can build on this performance, the sky’s the limit.
Let’s face it—this game wasn’t just about beating the Tigers. It was a statement. A reminder that the Orioles, despite their struggles, are still a force to be reckoned with. With Burnes dealing on the mound, Santander providing clutch power, and the young guns like Cowser stepping up, the Orioles are showing that they have the tools to make a serious push in the postseason.
So, what’s next for this team? Can they carry this momentum forward and stay hot as they march toward October? Only time will tell, but if Friday night was any indication, Baltimore might just be peaking at the perfect time. The long balls, the dominant pitching, the returning players—everything’s starting to come together. And as any baseball fan knows, it’s all about getting hot at the right moment. For the Orioles, that moment might just be now.
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