BALTIMORE -- Matt Wieters hadn't played all game and had sat through a one hour and 37-minute rain delay before getting the call as a pinch-hitter to face Aroldis Chapman's triple-digit fastball.
But despite a quick 0-2 hole, the O's catcher was able to deliver, punching a ball into center field for a two-out, two-run eighth-inning single that lifted Baltimore to a 3-1 win over the Yankees in Sunday's rubber game at Camden Yards.
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"You go in there and you know he has one of the best fastballs in the game," said Wieters, who came up with the bases loaded and cleared them, the final run courtesy of an errant throw. "I'm just trying to be short. I thought I was being short the first two pitches and I was still way behind. I tried to get even shorter the last pitch and I was able to find a hole."
Wieters' hit scored Mark Trumbo and Nolan Reimold, with Francisco Pena capitalizing on center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury's bad throw home.
"It's great being part of a comeback team," said Pena, who lined a ball into right field before Wieters. "Every time, we don't die. We don't die that easy. We fight until the last out, and that's very important. I feel proud of myself to contribute on the team."
Wieters has been a consistent contributor, batting .369/.382/.585 with 16 RBIs over his last 18 games and is one of the reasons that the O's have been able to pull off wins in four of the past five games in which they've trailed.
"It's awesome. Ever since I've been with the Orioles that's kind of been our motto. Late in the game, if we are close, it's like we like to make it dramatic," said starter Kevin Gausman, who allowed one run over six strong innings . "We are really good against those guys at the back end of the bullpen. … They just kind of put [together] some good at-bats, really lay off some good pitches later in the game and try to get something up."