Orioles right fielder and history-making relief pitcher Stevie Wilkerson entered a last-minute submission for catch of the year. In the bottom of the eighth, with the Red Sox poised to break a 4-4 deadlock off the bat of Jackie Bradley Jr., Wilkerson decided to give JBJ—who had an incredible homer-robbing catch of his own against Baltimore this year—a taste of his own medicine, giving O’s fans something to get excited about in the process.
Unfortunately, not even one of the season’s best highlights could prevent the Orioles from being themselves, as they would end up losing in quite humiliating fashion, all because Wilkerson decided to not approach a base hit with any sense of urgency.
It was a perfect demonstration the Orioles’ Third Law of Baseball: every positive action the O’s produce, there is an equal and opposite reaction that they barf up shortly afterwards. With this loss, Baltimore ends the season with a record of 54-108. But, hey, at least the catch was cool.