SEATTLE — The Orioles have been patient with Heston Kjerstad, continuing to start him on an everyday basis despite his extended slump and defensive shortcomings so far this year. He rewarded his organization’s faith Wednesday night with a go-ahead, two-run triple in the seventh inning to lead a 3-2 comeback win over the Seattle Mariners for the club’s fifth straight victory.

It’s the Orioles’ longest winning streak since they won six in a row June 7-12 last season. The victory also ensured that they would capture their second straight series, a feat Baltimore (24-36) had yet to achieve this year.

Kjerstad, 26, entered Wednesday sporting a .360 OPS with runners in scoring position, third worst of any qualified hitter in baseball. He was off to another rough start, going 0-for-2 at the plate and coming up limping after sliding into the wall trying to make the grab on a catchable fly ball in the fourth inning. But all of that was erased when he came up with two outs and runners on first and second base three innings later.

Seattle manager Dan Wilson brought right-hander Carlos Vargas in from the bullpen to face Coby Mayo with Ramón Urías on first and two outs in a 2-1 game, but the top infield prospect worked a walk to bring up the left-handed Kjerstad. Vargas got ahead 0-2 and it threatened to become another forgettable performance for the scuffling outfielder until Kjerstad got ahold of a cutter at the bottom of the strike zone and shot it down the first base line.

Mayo and Urías both made it home easily as Kjerstad motored around to third for his second triple in four days. Kjerstad, the Orioles’ No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft, is still hitting .197 on the season but has gone 4-for-9 with three extra-base hits over his past three games.

The triple proved to be the decisive moment in a game started by two former top-100 pitching prospects in the Orioles’ Cade Povich and Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock.

Povich mowed through Seattle’s lineup the first three innings and the only blemish against him the second time through stemmed from Kjerstad’s missed catch; a fly ball with a 95% catch probability that turned into a ground-rule double for catcher Cal Raleigh, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Randy Arozarena. Povich then allowed a walk and a go-ahead RBI single by Raleigh when the Mariners’ lineup turned over for a third time and interim manager Tony Mansolino pulled him in favor of Yennier Cano.

Raleigh was thrown out by Dylan Carlson trying to stretch his single into a double so Cano entered with shortstop J.P. Crawford on third and one out in the sixth. He immediately got a ground ball to Gunnar Henderson at shortstop. With Crawford running on contact, Henderson threw the ball home and Adley Rutschman swiped the tag down just in time for the out. The initial call was safe at home, but Baltimore challenged and replay review overturned it.

The Orioles’ lone run off Hancock, whom the Mariners drafted four picks after Kjerstad in 2020, came on a solo home run by Rutschman. The catcher, coming off a three-hit performance in the series opener Tuesday playing near his native Oregon, has a .741 OPS with six extra-base hits over his past 19 games dating to May 11.

After Cano put himself in line for the win with his escape act in the sixth, Seranthony Domínguez pitched a clean seventh, Gregory Soto worked around a two-out walk in the eighth and Félix Bautista converted his 11th save of the season and third in six days.

Instant analysis

So, this is what a winning streak looks like.

Their three wins over the Chicago White Sox weren’t overly impressive, and neither was the opponent, but Seattle is neck and neck with the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West. The Orioles’ 5-1 win Tuesday was as complete a performance as they’ve had all season and their pitching staff stifled the Mariners’ lineup once again to pull out the win Wednesday.

Baltimore is winning games behind the strength of its rotation, which has a 2.11 ERA over the past 10 games. The offense is still searching for consistency but there’s reason to be optimistic with Colton Cowser returning from the injured list Wednesday and Jordan Westburg expected to follow in the next couple of days.

Are the Orioles back? It’s still too soon to say. But the club is officially trending in the right direction and now has a winning record under Mansolino at 9-8.

On deck

Baltimore will try to complete a second straight sweep Thursday when Zach Eflin (4-2, 4.46 ERA) starts against Bryan Woo (5-2, 2.82). The Mariners’ right-hander has picked up right where he left during his breakout rookie campaign last year. He’ll represent another tough task for the Orioles’ lineup, which scored eight runs off Seattle’s vaunted rotation over the first two games.

Around the horn

• Gary Sánchez (wrist) and Ramón Laureano (ankle) joined the incumbent Jordan Westburg (hamstring) in Triple-A Norfolk to begin their rehabilitation assignments Wednesday. All three recorded multiple hits in the Tides’ 14-10 win over the Louisville Bats, highlighted by a three-run home run Sánchez pulled to left field. Westburg will be reevaluated Thursday before the Orioles determine if he can return for the start of their weekend series against the Athletics.

• Cedric Mullins (hamstring) resumed running this week and Mansolino expects the veteran outfielder to pick up baseball activities “soon.” While his absence might not be very long, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (hamstring) received his MRI results and “it’s going to be a little while” before he returns, according to Mansolino.

• Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat strain) has continued throwing and is “progressing on the original schedule,” according to Mansolino. The Orioles have yet to announce a timetable for Rodriguez, who shut down his throwing program in April when he suffered a setback working back from an elbow/tricep injury.

• 2024 first-round draft pick Vance Honeycutt was scratched from High-A Aberdeen’s lineup Wednesday with left hip flexor tightness and the team is listing him as day-to-day. The outfield prospect, ranked fourth in the organization by Baseball America, is hitting .209 with two home runs and 18 stolen bases in 46 games this season.

_____

©2025 The Baltimore Sun. Visit at baltimoresun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.