In a tightly contested matchup at Camden Yards, the Athletics edged the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Friday night, thanks to a clutch two-run triple from rookie Nick Kurtz that turned the game in Oakland's favor.
The decisive moment came in the fifth inning. With the A's trailing 1-0, a defensive miscue by the Orioles' infield opened the door for a three-run rally. After a walk and a single put runners on first and second with no outs, Baltimore's shift left shortstop Gunnar Henderson out of position on a routine grounder by Zack Gelof, allowing an RBI single. Moments later, Jeff McNeil's grounder to Henderson should have been a double play, but a bobble limited the Orioles to just one out. Kurtz then stepped up and delivered a towering triple to right-center, clearing the bases and giving Oakland a 3-1 lead.
Kurtz, who now has a 32-game on-base streak, was the offensive hero, but the Athletics' pitching staff deserved credit too. Starter Jacob Lopez (3-2) worked 5⅓ solid innings, allowing just two runs on three hits while keeping Baltimore's bats in check. The Orioles, now 0-9 against left-handed starters this season, struggled to generate consistent offense.
Baltimore got solo home runs from Pete Alonso and Adley Rutschman, but their infield defense proved costly for a second straight night. Just 24 hours earlier, a throwing error by third baseman Coby Mayo had cost them a game in Miami. This time, it was Henderson's misplay that proved pivotal.
The Orioles made things interesting in the ninth. Jack Perkins allowed an RBI single to Samuel Basallo, cutting the lead to 4-3. Hogan Harris then entered and walked Leody Taveras to put the tying run in scoring position, but he struck out Jeremiah Jackson to earn his second save of the season.
Kyle Bradish (1-5) was the hard-luck loser, striking out 10 over seven innings while allowing just three runs—but two were unearned due to the defensive lapses. Baltimore reliever Trey Gibson, called up earlier in the day when Cade Povich landed on the injured list with left elbow inflammation, surrendered an RBI single to Jacob Wilson in the eighth that provided a crucial insurance run.
The series continues Saturday with Aaron Civale (3-1) taking the mound for Oakland against Baltimore's Shane Baz (1-3). With both teams battling for position in their respective divisions, every game counts—and every defensive play matters.