McCann’s two-run single in ninth lifts Orioles after five-hour delay

BALTIMORE — James McCann hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a fivehour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Baltimore trailed 3-0 before scoring twice in the eighth against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.

It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann (Arkansas Razorbacks) lined a single into left to end it.

The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.

“It was described to us early why we were going to wait it out. The off days weren’t great for either team,” McCann said. “This is a good clubhouse. We had a lot of fun during the delay. Some guys were playing pool, some guys watching a movie, some watching other games.”

The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.

It’s worth noting that this lengthy rain delay fell well short of the major league record of 7 hours, 23 minutes. The Rangers and White Sox never did get started on Aug. 12, 1990, in Chicago.

Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.

Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing 1 hit and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts.

Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBI for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore’s final at-bat.

Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up 2 runs and 9 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the righthander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.

“It was a definitely a battle,” Burnes said. “Almost got through six innings with all we had to deal with, so I was definitely proud of that.”

Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.

In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.

“Our pitching won us that game,” Manager Brandon Hyde said. “And James McCann, too.”

(AP/Nick Wass) Baltimore Orioles catcher James McCann (left), a former Arkansas Razorback, celebrates with shortstop Gunnar Henderson and other teammates after hitting a game-winning two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore.