Orioles beat Blue Jays 6-5; Ward reaches 51 walks
Ward's 53 BB in 58 G (0.353 OBP) reflects elite plate discipline, though his 0.254 AVG and -42 team run differential expose Baltimore's offensive fragility despite the comeback win.
Baltimore Orioles vs Pittsburgh Pirates — Apr 4, 2026 | AI Prediction & Stats
Scoreboard
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orioles
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
Pirates
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
AI PREDICTIONNeural Network Forecast
AI| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Orioles
|
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
|
Pirates
|
1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Carmen Mlodzinski keeps the fastball down and leans on his slider to hold Baltimore to a single early run, scattering five hits across five innings. Shane Baz flashes mid-90s heat but struggles with left-handed bats; Brandon Lowe ambushes a first-pitch cutter for a two-run shot in the third, and Ryan O’Hearn adds a sixth-inning RBI double that chases Baz after 5⅔.
Baltimore’s offense shows life only in spurts: Pete Alonso plates a run with a second-inning liner, Gunnar Henderson sneaks an opposite-field single past first to drive in another in the fourth, and a seventh-inning Dylan Beavers sacrifice fly off reliever Isaac Mattson trims the deficit, but the Pirates’ late-inning bullpen trio of Dennis Santana, Gregory Soto, and Yohan Ramírez slams the door with four punch-outs over the final three frames.
Konnor Griffin follows up his electrifying debut with a ringing eighth-inning RBI triple into the right-center gap, giving Pittsburgh a vital insurance run before Soto and Ramírez lock down the eighth and ninth. The Pirates’ recent momentum, deeper bullpen, and balanced lineup prove enough to overcome Baltimore’s power threats, sealing a 5-3 home victory and a series win.
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Probable Pitchers
Baltimore Orioles — Roster
| Player | Pos | AVG | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Taylor Ward |
DH | .290 | 0 | 5 | .395 | .387 |
 Gunnar Henderson |
SS | .242 | 2 | 6 | .342 | .485 |
 Pete Alonso |
1B | .226 | 1 | 2 | .314 | .323 |
 Adley Rutschman |
C | .333 | 0 | 2 | .440 | .524 |
 Dylan Beavers |
LF | .318 | 1 | 4 | .318 | .500 |
 Coby Mayo |
3B | .150 | 0 | 1 | .292 | .200 |
 Leody Taveras |
CF | .500 | 0 | 3 | .700 | .667 |
 Tyler O'Neill |
RF | .125 | 1 | 3 | .263 | .313 |
 Blaze Alexander |
2B | .333 | 0 | 1 | .368 | .333 |
Pittsburgh Pirates — Roster
| Player | Pos | AVG | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Oneil Cruz |
CF | .290 | 3 | 7 | .333 | .581 |
 Brandon Lowe |
2B | .280 | 3 | 4 | .419 | .720 |
 Bryan Reynolds |
LF | .235 | 2 | 4 | .297 | .441 |
 Ryan O'Hearn |
RF | .360 | 2 | 7 | .469 | .600 |
 Nick Yorke |
DH | .273 | 0 | 2 | .438 | .364 |
 Konnor Griffin |
SS | .167 | 0 | 1 | .375 | .333 |
 Spencer Horwitz |
1B | .143 | 0 | 2 | .208 | .190 |
 Nick Gonzales |
3B | .310 | 0 | 5 | .375 | .379 |
 Henry Davis |
C | .176 | 0 | 3 | .300 | .294 |
Scoring Plays
▲ 4
Dylan Beavers singles on a line drive to right fielder Ryan O'Hearn. Gunnar Henderson scores. Adley Rutschman to 2nd.
1-0
▲ 4
Leody Taveras singles on a sharp line drive to right fielder Ryan O'Hearn. Adley Rutschman scores. Dylan Beavers to 3rd. Coby Mayo to 2nd.
2-0
▼ 4
Spencer Horwitz out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Dylan Beavers. Bryan Reynolds scores.
2-1
▼ 8
Jake Mangum singles on a ground ball to second baseman Blaze Alexander. Nick Yorke scores. Nick Gonzales to 2nd.
2-2
▼ 9
Nick Yorke doubles (1) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Dylan Beavers. Bryan Reynolds scores. Ryan O'Hearn to 3rd.
2-3
Baltimore Orioles — Batting
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K | HR | AVG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor WardDH |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .290 | .782 |
| Gunnar HendersonSS |
3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .242 | .827 |
| Pete Alonso1B |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .226 | .637 |
| Adley RutschmanC |
4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .964 |
| Dylan BeaversLF |
4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .318 | .818 |
| Coby Mayo3B |
3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .150 | .492 |
| Leody TaverasCF |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 1.367 |
| Tyler O'NeillRF |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .125 | .576 |
| Blaze Alexander2B |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .701 |
| Totals | 31 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
BATTING
TB: Beavers; Henderson; Mayo; Rutschman 2; Taveras, L.
RBI: Beavers (4); Taveras, L (3).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rutschman 2; Alexander 2.
GIDP: Alonso.
Team RISP: 2-for-7.
Team LOB: 9.
BASERUNNING
SB: Alexander (1, 2nd base off Barco/Bart).
PO: Mayo (1st base by Mattson).
FIELDING
E: Baz (1, fielding).
a-Lined out for Cowser in the 6th.
Pittsburgh Pirates — Batting
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K | HR | AVG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oneil CruzCF |
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .290 | .914 |
| Brandon Lowe2B |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .280 | 1.139 |
| Bryan ReynoldsLF |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .235 | .738 |
| Ryan O'HearnRF |
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .360 | 1.069 |
| Nick YorkeDH |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .273 | .802 |
| Konnor GriffinSS |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | .708 |
| Spencer Horwitz1B |
3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 | .398 |
| Nick Gonzales3B |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .310 | .754 |
| Henry DavisC |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .176 | .594 |
| Totals | 33 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
BATTING
2B: Horwitz (1, Baz); Reynolds, B (1, Helsley); Yorke (1, Helsley).
TB: Cruz, O; Horwitz 2; Mangum; O'Hearn; Ozuna; Reynolds, B 3; Yorke 2.
RBI: Horwitz (2); Mangum (1); Yorke (2).
2-out RBI: Mangum.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: O'Hearn; Gonzales, N; Cruz, O; Ozuna; Bart.
SF: Horwitz.
Team RISP: 2-for-10.
Team LOB: 13.
FIELDING
Pickoffs: Mattson (Mayo at 1st base).
DP: (Griffin-Lowe, B-Horwitz).
a-Singled for Bart in the 8th.
1-Ran for Ozuna in the 8th.
Baltimore Orioles — Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Shane Baz |
5.2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 98-63 | 3.27 |
 Rico Garcia(H, 1) |
0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10-5 | 0.00 |
 Grant Wolfram(H, 1) |
1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21-12 | 5.40 |
 Anthony Nunez(BS, 1) |
1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27-13 | 3.60 |
 Ryan Helsley(L, 0-1) |
0.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13-9 | 3.86 |
Pittsburgh Pirates — Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Carmen Mlodzinski |
4.2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 84-49 | 4.00 |
 Hunter Barco |
2.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 45-22 | 6.75 |
 Isaac Mattson |
1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17-9 | 3.60 |
 Dennis Santana(W, 2-0) |
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13-10 | 0.00 |
Game Info
Umpires: Home Plate: Dan Iassogna; First Base: James Jean; Second Base: Chad Fairchild; Third Base: Jeremie Rehak
Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Weather: 82°F, Partly Cloudy
Wind: 15 mph, Out To LF
Baltimore Orioles — News
Orioles Activate Kjerstad From 60-Day IL, Option to Triple-A
Kjerstad missed the entire season with a hamstring strain and has no 2026 stats to evaluate readiness. Baltimore (26-30, -41 run differential) fills its 40-man roster vacancy but keeps him at Triple-A rather than activating for immediate roster help.
Orioles Select Cameron Weston, Option Trey Gibson
Weston enters a Baltimore rotation where Rogers (6.96 ERA, 27 SO in 6 starts) has been a liability, though the move fills 40-man spots vacated by recent departures rather than addressing immediate depth needs for a 26-30 team.
Blue Jays To Select Charles McAdoo
McAdoo's addition addresses depth as Toronto sits 26-29 with a -5 run differential heading into Baltimore. The move requires roster space ahead of tomorrow's series where Cease (3.05 ERA, 92 SO) faces a Orioles rotation without their ace—Baz (4.48 ERA) and Bradish (3.86 ERA) have combined for just 4 wins.
Orioles Recall Raquet, Designate Enns For Assignment
Raquet arrives with a 0.40 ERA in limited action while Enns (3.94 ERA) departs. Baltimore's rotation remains anchored by Bradish (3.86 ERA, 2-6) as the club sits 24-30 with a -55 run differential.
Pittsburgh Pirates — News
Pirates Offense Shows Marked Improvement in 2026
Pittsburgh ranks 2nd in NL Central with a +35 run differential (311 RS, 276 RA) after years of offensive drought, though the article's premise appears outdated—Pirates have already outscored Miami this season despite historical offensive struggles dating to their 2016 playoff drought.
Pirates Trade Justin Lawrence To Twins
Lawrence posted a 5.32 ERA across limited 2026 action before Pittsburgh designated him for assignment. Minnesota adds bullpen depth to a 27-33 club sitting -21 in run differential, though the move signals no roster emergency given the Twins' 4-6 last-10 record.
Joe La Sorsa exercises upward mobility clause; Pirates must offer to other teams
La Sorsa's second clause trigger this season signals he's outperformed his minor league deal terms, but PIT's rotation remains anchored by Keller (4.35 ERA, 5-2) and Mlodzinski (3.76 ERA, 4-3) on a 31-28 team.
Pirates Place Mlodzinski On Restricted List, Call Up Sanders
Mlodzinski exits with a 3.76 ERA and 4-3 record across 9 starts; Sanders arrives with no 2026 MLB stats, marking a depth shuffle rather than a rotation overhaul for Pittsburgh (31-28, +25 run diff).
Pirates Place Griffin On 10-Day IL, Activate O'Hearn
Griffin's flexor tendon strain removes a struggling shortstop (.260 AVG, .304 xwOBA in 28 G) from a 31-28 club; O'Hearn's activation provides bench depth as Pittsburgh sits 2-game win streak.
Season Comparison
Orioles
STAT
Pirates
29-32
Record
33-28
47.5%
Win %
54.1%
.475
PCT
.541
279
Runs For
311
315
Runs Against
276
61
Games Played
61
W3
Streak
W4
7-3
Last 10
7-3
19-15
Home Record
18-15
10-17
Away Record
15-13
Head to Head
0
2
Apr 5
Orioles
2 - 8
Pirates
Apr 3
Orioles
4 - 5
Pirates
Orioles Recent
Jun 3
@ Red Sox
1-8
L
Jun 2
@ Red Sox
4-2
W
May 31
vs Blue Jays
5-9
W
May 30
vs Blue Jays
5-6
W
May 29
vs Blue Jays
6-5
L
Pirates Recent
Jun 2
@ Astros
10-6
W
May 31
vs Twins
3-9
W
May 30
vs Twins
9-10
W
May 29
vs Twins
5-6
W
May 28
vs Cubs
7-2
L
