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Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Orioles Rally Past Blue Jays Avoiding in Historic Walk-Off Fashion

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Carly Wimer | Last updated 5/16/24

For the first time in exactly two years, the Baltimore Orioles came close to losing in a sweep. But Adley Rutschman had other plans. Rutschman has still never been swept in the regular season since making his major league debut two years ago. Rutschman launched his second career walk-off homer, a two-run shot with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Baltimore split the two-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays as they now have gone 105 straight regular season series without a series sweep.

Their sweepless streak tied the 1903-05 New York Giants for the third-longest streak in major league history. Baltimore was swept in the American League Division Series by the Texas last season. But they have not been swept in the regular season since 2022. The Orioles overall record during the span is 197-132.

O’s/Blue Jays was the 4th game in MLB history where a team hit a leadoff HR AND a walk-off HR AND scored no runs in between, joining:

9/2/1983 PHI vs SF (Joe Morgan leadoff, Ozzie Virgil pinch-hit walk-off grand slam)
8/22/1971 OAK vs BOS (Bert Campaneris leadoff, Reggie Jackson… https://t.co/x4Q0uNwXHR

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 15, 2024

Baltimore Makes History in Walk-Off Win Over Toronto

Wednesday’s 3-2 walk-off win over Toronto was the Orioles fifth walk-off win of the year and their 12th comeback victory. Baltimore went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base, but still won thanks to Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman. Westburg led off the game for the Orioles with an opposite-field shot in the bottom of the first inning. His solo homer was the Orioles only run until Rutschman blasted his ninth homer of the season off Jordan Romano in the ninth. With Westburg’s leadoff shot and Rutschman’s game-ending homer, the Orioles made history.

Baltimore is the first team to have leadoff and walk-off home runs to account for all of their runs scored in a game since 1983. The Orioles are the first team since the 1962 Mets to achieve the feat twice in the same season. Baltimore did it first on April 17th against the Twins.

Adley’s homer was the Orioles first walk-off home run when trailing since 2019. With the win, Baltimore (27-14) avoided the season’s first three-game losing streak and sits a half-game back of the division lead. The Orioles haven’t dropped a series against a division opponent in 17 consecutive series, the longest streak in franchise history.

With that two streaks are extended –

* O’s have not been swept in 105 straight reg season series of at least two games

* O’s have now gone 17 straight AL East series without losing one, going 12-0-5.

— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) May 15, 2024

“I think it says a lot about our team,” said Rutschman. “It’s always guys just picking each other up and continuing to progress and just have each other’s backs. It’s a fun group to be a part of and it’s like guys bring it every single day.”

The Orioles won 101 games last season and won the American League East for the first time in nine years. Baltimore is currently on pace for 107 wins this season as the Orioles have their sights set on the World Series.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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