Orioles defeat Angels behind a strong Cade Povich spot start, 3-1

On August 4, 2026, in a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Baltimore Orioles emerged victorious with a final score of 3-1 against the Los Angeles Angels. The win was largely attributed to the strong performance of Cade Povich, who began the game as a spot start. Both Povich and Grayson Rodriguez, a former Oriole teammate, had struggled throughout the season, but tonight, they showcased their resilience.

Rodriguez, who had last started for the Orioles in July 2024 and went on to have a strong season, entered the game with an ERA above 7. Despite this, he managed to strike out the first two Orioles hitters and forced the remaining batters to work for their hits. In the third inning, Pete Alonso put one on the board for the Orioles with a single, and Tyler O'Neill added to the lead with a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Orioles.

Povich, who had been one of the Orioles' rotation mates in 2024, demonstrated his strength towards the end of the game. He allowed a walk in the fourth inning, then proceeded to strike out the next two batters, picking off runners in the process. In the fifth inning, he only allowed an infield single but again picked off a runner, showing his impressive pickoff game. His dominance continued into the sixth inning where he allowed only an infield single, followed by two flyballs and a ground ball to third base.

The Baltimore Orioles' bullpen held up well under pressure in the later innings. Rico Garcia allowed a deep flyball that nearly tied the game, but was quickly handled by Christian Franklin, the Orioles' new shortstop. Andrew Kittredge had a shaky eighth inning, allowing a run on a couple of plays, but Tyler O'Neill stepped in as a pinch hitter and secured the winning run with a home run in the eighth inning, giving the Orioles a 3-1 victory.