Baltimore Orioles: Top 5 Games of the 2022 season

Birds Watcher ranks the five best games of the 2022 Baltimore Orioles season.

When the season ends, baseball fans love to reflect and talk about the remarkable moments of the past year.  Now, we’ll take some time to remember the best five games of the 2022 Baltimore Orioles’ season. I believe that #1 will be a consensus.

Without further hesitation, the top 5!

#5 – The Comeback at Boston (5/27/22)

The first ever Orioles’ game on Apple+, the newest streaming partner for MLB games on Fridays. Kyle Bradish struggled again and Boston had a 6-0 lead after two innings. In the seventh, the Orioles trailed 8-2 against the Red Sox. In other years, this meant game over and focus on the next game. But not this day!

Baltimore scored 10 unanswered runs in the last three innings. Jorge Mateo and Austin Hays homered. Ramon Urias drove in another run and the efforts by Anthony Santander (not the first time in 2022) gave the Orioles a win in one of the best games of the year.

#3 – Like a Game 7 vs Blue Jays (9/6/22)

In a pivotal series against the rival Blue Jays, Baltimore needed to keep their AL Wild Card hopes alive. Toronto swept the doubleheader a day before and Brandon Hyde treated this matchup like a ‘Game 7’.

He used all the bullpen to secure that victory and the effort payoff with a huge win, 9-6. The Orioles survived a tough game and like the old school rivarlies, we had a benches cleared after Bryan Baker, a former Jays, taunting Teoscar Hernandez after an inning. A playoff atmosphere, for sure.

#2 – With a help from an old friend vs Rays (7/28/22)

With the trade deadline fast approaching, Baltimore played the last home game with guys like Jorge Lopez (the 2022 Orioles All-Star) and Trey Mancini, one of the most beloved players in recent history. Mancini hit a walkoff 20 days before against LA Angels (during the 10-game winning streak) but the baseball gods had a special moment for him.

July 28th is the Mo Gaba’s Day. A tribute for the Orioles and Ravens superfan who lost his battle against cancer in that day in 2020. Our 10th man, from the skies, helped the Orioles and his best friend, Mancini, with a inside-the-park Home Run in last Mancini’s hit at OPACY in an Orioles uniform. A moment for the ages. Baltimore won, 3-0.

#1 – A new era vs Rays (5/21/22)

A day like no other in recent years in Birdland. On Saturday morning, Baltimore announced that Adley Rutschman, who suffered an triceps injury before Spring Training, was called up for his MLB debut, one game after Rougned Odor’s walkoff on extras. In this series, and the best moments for 2022 season, this the only game who ended in the loss column (TB won, 6-1).

All the eyes were on Adley, and his moment looking across the Oriole Park and realized: I’m a MLB player, was magnificent. In his debut, Adley followed the steps by the former high-regard Orioles prospects like Matt Wieters and Manny Machado: his first major-league hit was a triple. For more Adley’s moments, click here.

Honorable mentions

2022 Opening Day: the first sellout after pandemic and a special victory on home opener against Milwaukee with the same score from the first ever Oriole Park game 30 years ago (2-0)

Anthony Santander walkoff: against New York left with an even more special taste, courtesy by Slamtander! O’s beat the Yankees, 9-6

On national TV: Orioles played their first game on Sunday Night Baseball since 2018 in the Little League Classic against Boston. Mateo was the hero in a 5-3 victory

Another rising star: at Cleveland, Gunnar Henderson made his MLB debut in late August. He hits his first Home Run on second at-bat. Let the hair flow, kid. O’s won, 4-0

A remarkable Homer: down by one and one strike away to end the game, rookie Kyle Stowers, against one of the most reliable relievers in the majors, Liam Hendriks, hit his first Home Run in a epic moment. Baltimore walked off against the White Sox in extras, 4-3

In 2023, may the Orioles create even more special moments!