Braves Beat Orioles 3-2 in 11 After Walt Weiss Orders Rare Intentional Walk

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss ordered a rare intentional walk with runners on first and second to help secure a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

The first-place Atlanta Braves defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon following a high-stakes tactical decision by manager Walt Weiss. With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the 11th, Weiss ordered an intentional walk of left-handed hitter Jackson Holliday. This move loaded the bases, moving the winning run to second and the tying run to third, to set up a matchup between right-handed pitcher Tyler Kinley and catcher Sam Huff. Kinley induced a game-ending ground ball from Huff, who entered the plate with a .125 batting average, having gone 4-for-32 with 19 strikeouts on the season.

Atlanta took the final lead in the top of the 11th inning when third baseman Austin Riley hit a leadoff RBI double. The victory followed a chaotic stretch that began in the ninth inning when the Braves held a 2-1 lead. Second baseman Ozzie Albies committed an error on a grounder that went through his legs, placing Orioles runners on first and third with one out. Albies redeemed the mistake on the very next play by making a diving stop and throwing to first base for an out, though the sequence allowed Baltimore to score the tying run and force extra innings.

Defensive Shifts and Bases-Loaded Escapes

In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Braves faced a bases-loaded, nobody-out situation following a walk and a wild pitch. Weiss deployed a defensive alignment featuring five infielders and only two outfielders to combat the jam. After an intentional walk to Pete Alonso loaded the bases, Gunnar Henderson hit a sharp line drive directly to Matt Olson. The Braves first baseman caught the liner and doubled off Alonso to help escape the inning without allowing a run. Weiss noted that the double play was a close call and expressed uncertainty regarding whether the play would be overturned upon review.

Strategic Context of the Intentional Walk

The Braves intentional walk in the 11th inning marked only the third time this season a player was walked intentionally with runners on first and second. The previous two instances resulted in failures for the defending teams. On July 12, the Texas Rangers walked Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros in the seventh, only to surrender a two-run single to the following batter. Similarly, on Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates walked Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs in the 10th inning, which led to a bases-loaded walk that forced in a run.

Atlanta’s decision was influenced by Baltimore’s depleted roster, as their top two catchers were on the injured list and the bench was empty of available hitters. Kinley, who faced the right-handed Huff, acknowledged his recent struggles against left-handed batters and credited the strategy for allowing him to attack a favorable matchup. Weiss admitted he likely would have faced significant criticism had the maneuver failed, but he expressed confidence in Kinley’s ability to retire right-handed hitters.

Resilience Following the Albies Error

Despite the ninth-inning misplay, Weiss defended Albies, describing him as one of the team's leaders and one of the most sure-handed players in MLB. The error was the primary catalyst for the Orioles' comeback, yet the Braves bullpen and corner infielders managed to prevent Baltimore from scoring again until the game concluded at Camden Yards. The win keeps Atlanta in first place as they conclude the Sunday series. The final out was recorded at 7:40 PM ET on July 26, 2026, marking a successful end to a game where Atlanta spent multiple innings working out of high-leverage jams.