Pete Alonso’s clutch hit propels Orioles to comeback win, 8-6 over Twins

That’s why the Orioles paid Pete Alonso $155 million . After a weekend of struggles with runners in scoring position, the “Polar Bear” proved for the first time in Baltimore that he has ice in his veins. With the game tied in the seventh inning, Alonso shortened up with two strikes and flicked a single over the second baseman’s head to drive in the go-ahead run and propel the Orioles to an 8-6 win over the Minnesota Twins.

The RBI is Alonso’s first in an Orioles uniform. The victory gives Baltimore, which won opening day in high-vibes fashion , its first series win of the season, bouncing back from Saturday’s 16-strikeout performance . Through the first three innings, it appeared the Orioles would lose the game and the series to a Twins team that’s expected to be middling.

Starting pitcher Shane Baz, pitching in his first game as an Oriole, allowed four runs in the second inning, and Baltimore’s bats were as lifeless as they were in Saturday’s 4-1 loss. But Tyler O’Neill blasted a three-run homer in the fourth to bring the Orioles back to life. Dylan Beavers, who started in center field for the first time in his career, then gave Baltimore a 5-4 lead in the sixth with a two-run double.

And Alonso’s single in the seventh helped spark a three-run rally that also included an RBI double from Adley Rutschman and an RBI single from Coby Mayo. The Orioles’ bullpen was shaky, but it didn’t collapse to hold onto the win. Yaramil Hiraldo and Tyler Wells both allowed one run and loaded the bases in the seventh and eighth innings, but they were bailed out by Rico Garcia and Yennier Cano, respectively.