Shintaro Fujinami, Orioles’ seventh reliever of night, secures 5-4, 10-inning win over Angels – Boston Herald

Shintaro Fujinami hadn’t been trusted to pitch in high-leverage situations in more than two weeks.

Manager Brandon Hyde had no choice Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Angels.

After six relievers combined to blow two late leads, Hyde was forced to bring in the volatile reliever with a one-run lead in the 10th inning with All-Stars Félix Bautista and Yennier Cano unavailable — the former due to injury, the latter because of workload.

Fujinami delivered.

The Japanese right-hander stranded the automatic runner, striking out Nolan Schanuel to end the game and hand Baltimore a 5-4 win.

Fujinami had the chance to record his second save of the season thanks to Jordan Westburg, whose RBI groundout scored zombie runner Austin Hays in the top half of the 10th.

The victory is the Orioles’ 44th in come-from-behind fashion this season, and it maintained their 3 1/2-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays atop the American League standings. It’s their first win this year in which they trailed entering the ninth inning in 42 tries.

Jorge Mateo’s speed sparked the Orioles’ two-run third inning. Starting at shortstop with left-hander Reid Detmers starting for the Angels, Mateo hit a one-out single, stole second with ease for his 27th swipe of the season and sprinted home on Adley Rutschman’s single for the game’s first run. Ryan Mountcastle then singled home Rutschman to double the Orioles’ advantage.

Dean Kremer wasn’t as sharp as he’s been recently, ending his streak of quality starts at four. He scattered four hits and three walks — just his fourth time issuing three or more free passes in 28 starts — while striking out five in 4 2/3 innings. But he didn’t allow a run to lower his ERA to 4.07.

Cionel Pérez replaced him with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, inducing an inning-ending ground ball. The left-hander then retired the first two batters in the sixth to continue his recent string of success. Pérez hasn’t allowed an earned run since July 26.

Jorge López, the club’s newest bullpen addition, got the final out of the sixth but gave up two runs in the seventh — the first by himself on a Brandon Drury double, the second by Danny Coulombe on a Mike Moustakas single.

Former Angel Jacob Webb then gave up a go-ahead single to Trey Cabbage in the eighth, putting the Orioles’ bats in need of a comeback. They delivered, with pinch-hitters Adam Frazier and Ryan O’Hearn coming through with a one-out double and an RBI single, respectively, to tie the game. Mountcastle then gave Baltimore a one-run lead on a strange ground ball single, one that Drury didn’t even move for at second base.

But the bullpen blew another lead in the ninth, with rookie DL Hall allowing a two-out single to Mickey Moniak that sent the game to extras.

Around the horn

• Right-hander Austin Voth cleared waivers and accepted his assignment to Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles said. Voth was designated for assignment Sunday to make room on the 28-man roster for Jorge López. Voth had a 5.19 ERA in 34 2/3 innings out of Baltimore’s bullpen this season after excelling in 2022 as a starter.
• Logan Gillaspie, a right-hander the Orioles designated for assignment Saturday to make room for López on the 40-man roster, was claimed off waivers Monday by the Boston Red Sox. Gillaspie had a 6.00 ERA in nine innings as a reliever who often took the shuttle from Triple-A Norfolk to Baltimore.
• Tyler Wells pitched Tuesday for the first time since Aug. 25. In relief for the Tides, the right-hander allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning, giving up one hit and walking two. He averaged 94.8 mph on his fastball — topping out at 95.7 mph — for velocity closer to what he had as a reliever in 2021.
• Jackson Holliday made his Triple-A debut Tuesday. The 19-year-old went 1-for-4 with a double, a run and a walk in the Tides’ 9-4 loss. Norfolk’s lineup featured the Orioles’ Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 11 prospects in Holliday, Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, Heston Kjerstad and Connor Norby.

This story will be updated.

Orioles at Angels

Wednesday, 9:38 p.m.

TV: MASN2

Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM

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