DENVER — The Baltimore Orioles faced the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night, marking a significant moment for pitcher Luis De León as he made his Major League Baseball debut. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz had expressed caution about throwing the 23-year-old into a high-pressure situation, especially after De León had struggled in his recent outings with Triple-A Norfolk.
However, with the game tied in the seventh inning, Albernaz opted to call on De León. Unfortunately for the Orioles, the decision did not pay off as De León surrendered a two-run home run to Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield, leading to a 4-2 loss that snapped Baltimore's four-game winning streak.
The pivotal moment came after the Rockies had a fortunate start to the inning, with Jackson Holliday, who had just tied the game with a solo home run in the previous inning, misplaying a popup hit by right fielder Mickey Moniak. De León managed to record his first career strikeout by fanning All-Star Hunter Goodman, but a poorly placed slider allowed Rumfield to deliver the decisive blow, sending the ball into the Rockies' bullpen.
With this defeat, the Orioles fell to a record of 69-70, missing a crucial chance to surpass the .500 mark for the first time since April 14, when they stood at 9-8. The loss also put them 1.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third wild-card spot in the American League, intensifying the pressure as the season approaches its final stretch.
Starting pitcher Kyle Bradish did not factor into the decision, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings. Both runs against him came in the second inning, with Rockies second baseman Adael Amador hitting a solo home run, marking just the third of his career, followed by an RBI single from center fielder Jake McCarthy.
Despite playing at Coors Field, known for its hitter-friendly conditions, the Orioles' offense struggled to capitalize, managing only seven hits and stranding eight baserunners. They went 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position, with their only other run coming in the third inning when Gunnar Henderson grounded into a double play, allowing Carlos Narváez to score from third base after Pete Alonso was caught in a rundown.
Additionally, the game saw Heston Kjerstad make his first big league appearance since June 6, 2025, although he was unable to make an impact, flying out in his only at-bat as a pinch hitter.
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