On a pleasant day with temperatures around 81 degrees, the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets faced off in Game 1, delivering an intensely contested matchup. The highlight came late when Gunnar Henderson hit a decisive two–run pinch-hit home run that ultimately secured a 3-1 victory for the Orioles. This clutch swing shifted momentum after the Mets’ starter David Peterson held the Orioles scoreless through seven innings, underscoring the significance of Henderson’s contribution.
David Peterson’s strong but ultimately outmatched performance
David Peterson, the Mets’ 6’6” left-hander, entered the game with a solid 6-4 record and a 3.18 ERA over 17 starts this season, yet he was unable to maintain control in the later innings. Peterson retired the first nine Orioles he faced after an early single from Jackson Holliday but began to falter in the eighth inning. Despite allowing only five hits with no extra-base hits prior, he departed after 90 pitches without recording an out in the eighth. This turn of events gave the Orioles a crucial opportunity that they capitalized on.
Orioles’ baserunning miscues and missed scoring chances
The Orioles’ offense showed signs of activity but was hindered by costly baserunning errors that snuffed promising scoring opportunities. In the fourth inning, Jordan Westburg was thrown out at third trying to extend a single, while Ramón Urías wasted a marathon eleven-pitch at-bat with a hard-hit line drive caught by left fielder Brandon Nimmo. Later in the sixth, Jacob Stallings started with a single but was erased following a forceout and then picked off on base, with Jackson Holliday’s baserunning mistakes drawing attention.
Pitching heroics from Charlie Morton and Grant Wolfram
Charlie Morton delivered another commendable outing for the Orioles, allowing just one run over six innings and maintaining a 2.87 ERA in his last eight starts. After a difficult start that included a first-pitch single and a walked batter, Morton escaped a jam with dominant strikeouts against dangerous Mets hitters Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. Following Morton’s exit, reliever Grant Wolfram emerged as an unexpected star. Called up from Norfolk, Wolfram used a mix of 97-mph fastballs and sweeping left-handed curveballs to strike out four batters in two shutout innings, impressively shutting down the heart of the Mets lineup. MASN analyst Ben McDonald commented on Wolfram’s performance:
“He’s going through the heart of this lineup like it’s butter.”
Managerial decisions shape outcome as Mets’ bullpen struggles
As the Mets’ David Peterson exited in the eighth, Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino made a strategic move by calling on Gunnar Henderson to pinch-hit, despite having previously benched him against the lefty starter. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza’s decision to remove Peterson after 90 pitches without recording an out backfired when Henderson promptly crushed a two-run home run off righty Ryne Stanek, instantly creating a new score dynamic. Stanek’s inning quickly deteriorated as he walked four batters, threw 20 balls in 31 pitches, and surrendered an additional run on a Ramón Laureano sacrifice fly before exiting to jeers from Mets fans at Oriole Park.
Closing moments and reliable bullpen work secure Orioles win
In the ninth inning, Orioles closer Félix Bautista firmly closed the door, earning his 18th save of the season. The Orioles turned what could have been a frustrating game against a solid Mets pitching staff into a much-needed win, largely thanks to key contributions from Gunnar Henderson, Charlie Morton, Grant Wolfram, and Bautista himself. Despite being sellers at the trade deadline, the Orioles demonstrated their ability to compete and entertain with high-quality baseball, setting the stage for an intriguing Game 2.