BALTIMORE — For all the talk of the wall, of how difficult it was to hit a ball over it, Anthony Santander proved in the biggest moment Thursday afternoon that it could be done.
With two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, Santander turned on an inside cutter, powering a three-run home run over that left field wall for his first career walk-off, sealing the Orioles’ 9-6 victory that ended a six-game losing streak and avoided four-game sweep against the New York Yankees.
Earlier in the inning, a throwing error by Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson allowed Austin Hays to reach first base, and a one-out single from Trey Mancini on the 10th pitch of his at-bat brought Santander to the plate. Santander had already doubled twice and walked once Thursday, and he didn’t need to see more than that first-pitch cutter under the hands. When he reached home plate, the Gatorade bath waited for him among a throng of players.
