Orioles squander late leads, lose 6-5 to Rockies ahead of pivotal homestand

Matt Weyrich, The Baltimore Sun on Sep 2, 2026

Published in Baseball

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DENVER — The Baltimore Orioles were one out away from clinching a series win and a happy flight back to Baltimore. Colorado, robbed of a walk-off Monday, exacted its revenge.

Andrew Kittredge, aided by Colton Cowser’s game-winning catch in his last save opportunity Monday, couldn’t finish off the Rockies this time as Zac Veen tied the game with an RBI double in the ninth and Brett Sullivan walked off Grant Wolfram with a two-run single in the 11th to hand the Orioles a frustrating 6-5 loss that dropped them back to two games under .500 at 69-71.

Trevor Rogers received a tough-luck no decision after setting a career high with 11 strikeouts, including six in a row between the fifth and seventh innings. Luis Robert Jr., batting cleanup in his first game since being claimed off waivers, roped a two-run double in the third for a strong first impression with his new club, but the Orioles’ offense was otherwise quiet once again to finish the series in Colorado with seven runs in three games.

Rogers’ outing included two dominant stretches sandwiched around a pair of rallies by the Rockies. He faced the minimum over the first two innings, allowed one run in both the third and fourth, then retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced. The left-hander had three times recorded 10 strikeouts, all with the Miami Marlins in 2020 or 2021, and never recorded more than nine since joining the Orioles at the trade deadline two years ago.

He outdueled former teammate Tomoyuki Sugano in the latter’s first start against the team that signed him out of Japan in 2025. The 36-year-old right-hander was impressive in his own right, allowing three runs over six innings and becoming the first Japanese pitcher to record a quality start both for and against the Orioles.

A key defensive play by Rogers also loomed large for most of the game. Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy drove in a run with a triple to right-center field, and the relay home to third by Blaze Alexander skipped away from Coby Mayo, allowing McCarthy to dash for home. However, Rogers was in position to back up the play, and he took an extra second to set himself and fire a throw home to Samuel Basallo for the out.

Home plate umpire John Bacon originally called McCarthy safe on the play, but McCarthy’s front foot missed the base to give Basallo enough time to turn around and apply the tag.

The Orioles scored all three of their runs off Sugano in the third when Pete Alonso recorded his 93rd RBI of the season with a base hit that brought Alexander around, and Robert followed with a scorching 102.9 mph double off the right-field wall for a two-run double. Robert started in left field with Cowser manning center in the first hint at how the Orioles will organize their outfield down the stretch.

Rico Garcia took over for Rogers in the seventh and got out of the inning, then combined with Yennier Cano for a scoreless eighth. Manager Craig Albernaz then turned to Kittredge, who nearly allowed a leadoff home run to catcher Hunter Goodman on a deep fly ball that drifted foul.

It was an eerily similar ball to the one ruled foul against Alonso on Aug. 19 in Baltimore. Replay review took the same route it did previously at the Orioles’ expense, with officials not seeing enough evidence to overturn the call on the field.

Though Kittredge wound up striking out Goodman, shortstop Cole Carrigg doubled with two outs, and Veen followed with a two-bagger of his own to tie the game. Josh Walker replaced Kittredge to finish off the frame, and he recorded one out in the 10th before giving way to Alex Hoppe, who struck out another former Oriole, Connor Norby, and induced a groundout by Goodman to send the game to the 11th.

Basallo led off the following frame with an RBI single to put the Orioles back in front, and Albernaz pinch-ran Leody Taveras at first. That decision appeared to prove pivotal as Taveras went first to third on a single by Dylan Beavers and scored when Alexander roped a line drive up the middle. Alexander finished 3 for 5 in his best performance since returning off the injured list Friday.

The Orioles ultimately needed more insurance as Wolfram entered the game and gave a run right back on an RBI single by TJ Rumfield. The lefty then struck out both shortstop Cole Carrigg and Veen, and he got a huge break when Amador hit a deep fly ball to right-center field that would’ve tied the game had it not bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double.

But Wolfram couldn’t finish off the Rockies as Sullivan dropped a single into left field and Robert’s throw home sailed wide of the plate.

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