Povich dazzles, Alonso breaks out in Orioles 6-2 win over Giants

A stellar start by Cade Povich, supported by key contributions at the plate from the previously slumping Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo, led the Orioles to a 6-2 win at Camden Yards on Sunday afternoon. They have now won five of six and are tied for first place in the AL East.

This was the peak version of Povich. The lefty pounded the strike zone, mixed pitches, and limited damage. That combination allowed him to put together one of the best outings of his big league career. Over 6.2 innings, Povich allowed just one run on five hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. Not a bad way to celebrate your 26th birthday.

That one run came in the fifth inning. Casey Schmitt opened the frame with a single, moved to second on a ground out, and then eventually scored on a two-out single. But credit to Povich for keeping things right there. He got Jerar Encarnacion to fly out and conclude the inning. That’s all they would manage against the starter.

Most would have expected O’s manager Craig Albernaz to pull Povich after that. He had gone through the order twice, was in the position to get a win, and he was exiting on a relative high. Instead, Albernaz stuck with him through the sixth inning. Then, he let him start the seventh, and even stayed with him after a lead-off single. Povich rewarded him with a double play before a double from Heliot Ramos pushed Albernaz to finally make a change. He went with Anthony Nunez, who made quick work of Daniel Susace to wrap up the inning.

This felt like a significant performance from Povich. There is pressure on him to perform and become the preferred rotation understudy, in front of guys like Brandon Young, Albert Suárez, or even Trey Gibson this year. There is more work to be done before the lefty can actually cement himself into that role, but his first 12.1 innings of the year are good steps in that direction.

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What helped Albernaz make the decision to stick with Povich as long as he did was an Orioles offense that felt more threatening today.

The scoring for the O’s started early. After Pete Alonso worked a two-out walk in the bottom of the first inning, Samuel Basallo gave the good guys a 2-0 lead with a line drive home run to left-center field, his second long ball of the season.

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It took until the fifth inning for the Baltimore bats to come back alive. Gunnar Henderson got the two-out rally going with a single into right field. Taylor Ward did the same, scooting Henderson over to third base in the process. Then it was Alonso that broke his cold streak, yanking a two-bagger down the third base line to drive in both runners and make it 4-1 Orioles.

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They added on to that lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Leody Taveras set the table with an inning-opening double to right field. He then sprinted home on a Coby Mayo flare into shallow center, giving the Birds a 5-1 advantage.

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The Orioles’ final run of the day came home in the seventh inning. Back-to-back singles from Ward and Alonso got the inning going. A one-out walk for the newly promoted Johnathan Rodríguez loaded the bases. Following a strikeout by Taveras, Colton Cowser knocked in Ward with a bouncer that got past the pitcher and became an infield hit.

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This was a complete performance from the Orioles lineup. They collected 11 hits, walked five times, and struck out seven times. All but one starter had a hit. Key contributions from Alonso and Basallo in the middle of the lineup made a world of difference. That duo was responsible for four of the six RBI on the day.

Because Povich tossed 6.2 big innings, the bullpen only had to record seven outs. Nunez got the first one, and then Tyler Wells handled the final six. Wells did give up a solo homer to Casey Schmitt, who had three of San Francisco’s seven hits, but the reliever was otherwise fine. Most crucially, the Orioles didn’t have to use any of Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, or Ryan Helsley, who seem to be becoming the squad’s high-leverage arms of the moment. That’s important during this stretch without an off day.

The American League is a jumble of mediocre teams right now, and the Orioles are included. Their win today, paired with a Yankees loss to the Rays, means that those three are tied for first in the East at 8-7. Not bad for a team that seemed to be falling apart in Pittsburgh last weekend. Baseball is funny like that.

The O’s will welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Yard for a three-game set beginning on Monday. First pitch is set for 6:35, though we do not yet know who will be throwing that pitch for the O’s. Speculation suggests that it will be Dean Kremer. We shall see.

Most Birdland Player – April 12, 2026

Leave a comment down below with your vote for the “Most Birdland Player” in the Orioles 6-2 win. You can pick whomever you would like, but here are a few worthy nominees: