BALTIMORE -- Coby Mayo wasn’t supposed to be in the Orioles’ starting lineup on Monday. The 24-year-old only became the designated hitter, slotting into the No. 6 hole, after Samuel Basallo was scratched due to left knee discomfort, finding out he’d be playing only about an hour before the 6:36 p.m. ET first pitch.
It turned out to be an unexpectedly eventful night for Mayo after that -- and a night he needed after enduring plenty of tough ones here of late.
Following an injury scare on the basepaths in the fifth inning, Mayo clubbed a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh to lift the O’s to a series-opening 3-2 win over the Yankees at Camden Yards. It marked Baltimore’s first win against its American League East rival this season after New York swept a four-game series at Yankee Stadium from May 1-4.
Before Monday’s opener, manager Craig Albernaz referred to that previous meeting as a “punch in the mouth” to his club. There was no hiding this type of victory felt good.
“We got our butt kicked over there in New York,” Mayo said. “It just kind of felt like that this was one of those games where we can build some confidence off of.”
The Orioles (19-23) spoiled a no-hit bid by Ryan Weathers, the latest left-handed starter to give them a tough time. Baltimore entered the contest with an 0-9 record in games in which its opponents started a southpaw, and for much of this night, the bats were quiet.
Weathers didn’t give up a hit until Adley Rutschman’s leadoff single in the seventh. The 26-year-old southpaw departed after issuing a one-out walk to Tyler O’Neill, who nearly tied the game with a deep fly ball to left that went foul before eventually taking the ninth pitch of the plate appearance for ball four to give the O’s runners on first and second.
“That was one of the most gangster at-bats I’ve seen,” Albernaz said.
At that point, the Yankees could have brought in a right-handed reliever, as the Orioles’ next five batters were all right-handed. Instead, they brought in lefty Brent Headrick to face Mayo, who was mired in a 3-for-35 slump going back to April 25. (Dylan Beavers likely would have pinch-hit had New York brought in a righty instead.)
Mayo made the Yanks pay for that decision, pouncing on a 1-1 slider from Headrick and jolting it a Statcast-projected 389 feet over the left-field wall to give Baltimore a 3-2 lead. The former top prospect let out a yell as he rounded first base, and then again when he joined his teammates celebrating at home plate.
“It feels like I’ve been in that spot a lot over the last three seasons since I’ve been up here and haven’t come through much, as much as I wanted to,” Mayo said. “That was a spot where when I did come through, all that emotion came out, and it just felt really good.”
The O’s may not have fully solved their lefty struggles, but this time, Mayo’s blast proved to be enough.
“That’s what it comes down to sometimes, is just one swing,” O’Neill said. “It’s on all of us to keep grinding out at-bats and trying to get on base and get something together, going as a team.”
The comeback happened after Mayo was part of a scary play at second base in the fifth, when he successfully evaded a rundown, but not without Yankees shortstop Max Schuemann falling on top of him as he received a throw at the bag. Schuemann’s left cleat struck the back of Mayo’s right leg, while his body landed on Mayo’s lower back.
Mayo was checked over by assistant athletic trainer Pat Wesley before staying in the game. He had a gash on his leg after the game, when he got treatment following his media scrum.
This season hasn’t been easy for Mayo, and not only because of his offensive scuffles (a .165 average and a .541 OPS in 35 games). His defense at third base has been a bit of a struggle lately as well, including last Thursday, when his two-out throwing error in the bottom of the ninth inning resulted in a Marlins walk-off win.
But Mayo has leaned on his support system -- his family, his girlfriend and his Golden Retriever, Fin -- during the tough times.
“The dog doesn’t know I made an error. He doesn’t know I struck out four straight at-bats,” Mayo said. “This game does a lot to the [mental side] and we can have a lot on our minds going to sleep at night, putting our heads on the pillow. As much as guys want to flush it sometimes, it’s tough to when you leave the field.
“So I think, sometimes, you need the people in your corner. My dog loves me, so it doesn’t matter what happens. He’s always going to be there for me.”