Defensive miscues doom Orioles in 3-2 walkoff loss to Pirates

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 4: Nick Yorke #38 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with Brandon Lowe #5 after scoring on an RBI single by Jake Mangum #28 (not pictured) in the eighth inning during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images After misplays from Anthony Nunez and Coby Mayo allowed the Pirates to tie the game in the 8th, a Nick Yorke walkoff single in the 9th doomed the Orioles to their second straight loss in Pittsburgh. Despite being tied at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the 9th, manager Craig Albernaz turned to close Ryan Helsley to bring the game to extras.

After starting the inning by getting Brandon Lowe to ground out to second, Helsley left a fastball over the plate to Bryan Reynolds. The former All-Star smashed a line drive to deep left field that sailed just over Dylan Beavers’ glove for a one-out double. After intentionally walking Ryan O’Hearn, Yorke came to the plate looking to end the game.

With the count knotted at 2-2, Helsley fired a fastball at Yorke’s knees that seemed to catch the bottom of the zone. However, home plate umpire Dan Iassogna incorrectly called it a ball, and the Orioles were out of challenges after a failed challenge in the top of the 9th from Gunnar Henderson. The very next pitch, Yorke lined a single to left field to bring home Reynolds and walk off the O’s.

While the 9th inning stung, the real pain point for Birdland came in the 8th. Albernaz gave the rookie Nunez his first high-leverage opportunity of the season, sending him in for the penultimate frame with Baltimore up 2-1. The first batter Nunez faced reached base when Marcel Ozuna dribbled a ball up the third base line that Mayo failed to field cleanly.