BALTIMORE — How did the Orioles go from being one out away from getting no-hit to erasing a three-run deficit and recording a 4-3 win over the Dodgers in walk-off fashion in the ninth inning on Saturday at Camden Yards?
Maybe it had at least a little bit to do with the presence of Cal Ripken Jr. and the celebratory vibes in the air in Baltimore all night.
On the 30th anniversary of Ripken’s record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game played — a likely unbreakable mark again honored with a pregame ceremony — the Orioles rallied in improbable fashion against one of MLB’s top teams. Jackson Holliday spoiled Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s near-no-hitter with a home run, igniting an incredible finish to an excellent game.
Emmanuel Rivera delivered Baltimore’s third walk-off win of the season (and its second in as many nights) by knocking a bases-loaded two-run single off closer Tanner Scott. “Orioles Magic” played through the loudspeakers. The current O’s hooted and hollered, celebrating in center field in a ballpark housing plenty of former O’s (Ripken and some of his 1995 teammates, plus others).
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles became the first team in the expansion era (since 1961) to win a game after breaking up a no-hit bid when down to their final out.
“Fortunately, I think some of Cal’s magic resonated and affected us there in the ninth inning,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said with a smile.
Entering the ninth inning, it almost felt like a certainty that Yamamoto would complete the second no-hitter in Camden Yards history. The 27-year-old Japanese right-hander had retired 17 consecutive batters since issuing back-to-back walks to Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo in the third.
Then, Yamamoto began the final inning by striking out Alex Jackson and getting Coby Mayo to fly out to center, moving one out from history. At that point, the Dodgers had a win probability of 99.5%, per Baseball Savant.
It all came down to the 21-year-old Holliday, who felt he could handle the pressure — even if getting no-hit was all the youngster could think about.
“That’s all that was on my mind, honestly,” said Holliday, who wears the No. 7 once donned by Ripken’s late father, former O’s manager Cal Ripken Sr. “Going into the eighth inning, that’s what I was thinking, I was like, ‘Oh man, it’s going to come down to me.’ So I was definitely thinking about it and kind of nervous, because it’s kind of a big thing.”
Know what else is a big thing? Ending a no-hitter with a home run, which Holliday did by jolting an inside 2-1 cutter from Yamamoto — his 112th and final pitch of the night — and sending it a Statcast-projected 362 feet, just over the right-center-field wall.
Holliday became only the eighth player on record in AL/NL history to break up a no-hit bid with a two-out home run in the ninth — and the previous seven each had his team go on to lose.
It was the fourth time in the expansion era (since 1961) the Orioles ended a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth or later. Holliday joined a group that includes teammate Gunnar Henderson (Sept. 13, 2024, at Detroit), Jim Traber (Sept. 30, 1988, at Toronto) and Davey Johnson (June 7, 1968, vs. the A’s).
As soon as Holliday homered, the O’s had rejuvenated energy and a belief they could still win despite a 3-1 deficit and a fresh pitcher (righty Blake Treinen) set to take the mound.
“The game doesn’t end until the final out is made,” Rivera said via team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “So, I think, in that moment, we all got up from the bench and were super excited that he got that hit to keep the game going.”
Rookie Jeremiah Jackson greeted Treinen with a double to left-center field. Then, Henderson was hit by a pitch, which was shortly followed by a walk from Ryan Mountcastle to load the bases.
Colton Cowser followed with a walk of his own to cut Los Angeles’ lead to 3-2. That brought up Rivera, as the Dodgers pulled Treinen and inserted the left-handed Scott, who gave up a walk-off solo homer to Basallo in the ninth on Friday night.
The right-handed-hitting Rivera worked the count to 1-1, then went down below the zone to golf a low fastball from Scott onto the center-field grass. Henderson and pinch-runner Jorge Mateo scored, and much of the sellout crowd of 42,612 roared.
“Yeah, that’s wild,” Mansolino said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that with how that thing was going.”
It has been a disappointing season for the Orioles (66-76), but their active five-game winning streak against two strong National League West teams (the Padres and the Dodgers) has them building positive momentum toward 2026, which is their main priority down the stretch.
No matter how the year has gone, a night like Saturday — with the old-school feel of some of that “Orioles Magic” — is one to be remembered.
“I literally can’t believe that. That’s the best baseball game I’ve ever been a part of, especially the ramifications with the 30-year anniversary of 2,131,” left-hander Trevor Rogers said. “This is, for me personally, the game of the year for us. Just with the failed expectations of this year, and we know that, but we keep fighting. We keep supporting each other. We battle for each other.”
