Basallo flirts with cycle as O's rally in 9th against Marlins

MIAMI -- More than a month into the season, the offense Orioles fans had been waiting for finally arrived and it came in a back-and-forth showdown at loanDepot park.

Baltimore snapped its five-game losing streak with a 9-7 win over the Marlins behind a breakout performance from catcher Samuel Basallo, who was a homer shy of the cycle while driving in four runs on a three-hit night.

Basallo went 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple, with the 21-year-old now slashing .255/.324/.469 on the season.

In the top of the first, Baltimore forced Sandy Alcantara to throw 34 pitches. Gunnar Henderson opened the game with a sharp single, and Dylan Beavers followed one out later with a 12-pitch walk.

That brought up Pete Alonso, who jumped on a slider and drove it into left for a two-run double down the left-field line. A defensive miscue allowed Alonso to move to third, setting up for Basallo. The young catcher wasted no time, lacing a first-pitch fastball into center field for an RBI double.

Ward worked a walk to lead off the top of the third. Alonso then hit his second double of the game off a first-pitch changeup to left field. Basallo followed by shooting a changeup back up the middle for a two-run single, pushing the Orioles back in front, 5-3.

Basallo then capped his performance in the top of the fifth, hitting a ground ball to right-center field and racing around the bases for his first career triple, scoring Alonso, who worked a leadoff walk. Basallo later scored when Colton Cowser reached on a fielder’s choice, chasing Alcantara from the game.

After Miami tied the game in the bottom of the eighth, the Orioles responded with a couple of singles from pinch-hitter Adley Rutschman and Leody Taveras, scoring Ward and Alonso who walked earlier in the inning.