BALTIMORE (AP) — Blake Snell struck out 12 over six innings and allowed just one hit to carry the San Francisco Giants past the faltering Baltimore Orioles 10-0 on Tuesday night.
The Orioles have lost seven of nine to fall four games behind the first-place Yankees in the AL East. Baltimore held a half-game lead on Sept. 5 before its current tailspin, during which it has been outscored 46-18.
Click to Gallery
San Francisco Giants second baseman Donovan Walton (18) dives to field a ball hit by Baltimore Orioles' Anthony Santander to make the throw to first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. for the out during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Albert Suarez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
San Francisco Giants' Grant McCray slides into first base after running through on a single line drive during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
San Francisco Giants' Grant McCray advances toward home plate to score on an RBI single hit in by Donovan Walton during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Colton Cowser had two of the Orioles' five hits in their most lopsided shutout loss of the season.
“We've been scuffling offensively,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We had a tough night.”
In this one, the Giants got the only run they needed when Mike Yastrzemski drove the second pitch from Orioles starter Albert Suárez (8-6) over the right-field wall. Yastrzemski added an RBI single in the second after a sacrifice fly by Brett Wisely, and Snell had no problem making the lead stand up.
“Getting runs early on, it feels good to pitch with a lead,” Snell said. “You can be more aggressive.”
Facing a Baltimore lineup without several injured starters, Snell (4-3) flashed the form that enabled him to win the 2023 NL Cy Young Award. The left-hander had at least two strikeouts in every inning but the fourth, and made up for it by striking out the side in the fifth.
“We faced one of the better pitches in the game, and we didn't swing the bats well against him,” Hyde said.
Snell struck out All-Star Gunnar Henderson three times, the last one in the sixth to culminate his 98-pitch masterpiece.
“Gunnar. Changeups. He just struggles with them," Snell said. “A lot of lefties do.”
Snell waked two, and the only hit he allowed was a solid third-inning single up the middle by Emmanuel Rivera.
“I like where I was at mentally today,” Snell said.
Since his return from the injured list on July 9 following a groin strain, Snell is 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings.
“The guy's unbelievable. He's on top of it right now,” Yastrzemski said. “He's a special pitcher. It's pretty cool to see how dominant he can be.”
San Francisco turned the game into a rout with a six-run ninth against Craig Kimbrel, who long ago lost his job as Baltimore's closer due to ineffectiveness.
The Giants snapped a four-game losing streak to begin their final road trip of the season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: SS Tyler Fitzgerald returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with lower back tightness. ... INF Matt Chapman headed home to be with his wife, who was ready to give birth.
Orioles: INF Jordan Westburg (hand) took batting practice and is expected to return before the end of the regular season, general manager Mike Elias said. ... 1B Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) is working out in Florida and has a chance to return before October. ... INF Ramón Urías (ankle sprain) could come off the IL before the end of the season, Elias said. ... RHP Grayson Rodriguez (lat strain) is making progress. But Elias said, “Time and the calendar is not our friend.”
UP NEXT
Hayden Birdsong (3-5, 4.74 ERA) starts for the Giants against Dean Kremer (7-9, 4.10 ERA) on Wednesday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
San Francisco Giants second baseman Donovan Walton (18) dives to field a ball hit by Baltimore Orioles' Anthony Santander to make the throw to first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. for the out during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Albert Suarez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
San Francisco Giants' Grant McCray slides into first base after running through on a single line drive during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
San Francisco Giants' Grant McCray advances toward home plate to score on an RBI single hit in by Donovan Walton during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
The FA Cup delivered another fairytale result on Saturday when sixth-tier Macclesfield — managed by Wayne Rooney's brother — knocked out titleholder Crystal Palace in one of the competition's greatest upsets.
The teams were separated by 117 places in the English soccer pyramid but Macclesfield won 2-1 which, given the difference in league positions, goes down as the most unlikely result in the FA Cup's 155-year history.
At the other extreme, Manchester City overwhelmed third-tier Exeter 10-1 in a match featuring a goal on debut by $87 million signing Antoine Semenyo.
City tying the record for its biggest ever win wasn't the story of the day in the third round, though.
That belonged to Macclesfield, a tiny club from England's north west that was relaunched after its predecessor, Macclesfield Town, was liquidated in 2020 because of debts.
The team, placed 14th in National League North, is still coming to terms with the loss of its 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who was killed in a car crash travelling back from a match he played in at Bedford Town on Dec. 16. A banner bearing his name hung behind the dugouts at the Palace game and his family were in the stands to watch.
It made for an emotionally draining afternoon for John Rooney, the younger sibling of England and Manchester United great Wayne Rooney, who was at the match working for the BBC.
“We finished the game and then I walk in the office and see Ethan’s mum and dad in there, that’s very special to me,” John Rooney said. “Just knowing they were here with us, and I’m sure Ethan was looking down on us today.”
Macclesfield took the lead just before halftime through captain Paul Dawson, before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th following a scramble in the penalty area.
Yeremy Pino’s last-minute free kick for Palace left Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans chanted “Silkmen! Silkmen!” — the club’s nickname.
Macclesfield survived, their players adding their names to the competition's lore.
Fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose — Macclesfield's modest 5,900-capacity stadium — in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.
“I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day,” said Rooney, who started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club and is in only his first season coaching.
“I can’t believe it. We were incredible from the first minute."
The last time Palace played in the FA Cup, it beat City in the final for its first ever trophy.
Palace's dismal afternoon was summed up when U.S. defender Chris Richards did a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time.
“I have no words for this performance,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner said.
Palace captain Marc Guéhi spoke with the team’s traveling fans after the defeat.
Semenyo was handed a start by City manager Pep Guardiola a day after joining from Bournemouth and was among nine scorers for City. Right back Rico Lewis netted twice.
In a classy gesture, Semenyo thanked Bournemouth fans “for all the memories” in a full-page advertisement printed in the local Bournemouth Echo newspaper before the game.
“He is a humble guy,” City assistant manager Pep Lijnders, who was directing affairs in the technical area as Guardiola served a one-match touchline ban, said of Semenyo. "He brings something to the front line that we really want and we need.
“He can attack quick, he wants to chase, he is a guy who doesn’t stop."
Semenyo's former club lost at Newcastle 7-6 on penalties following a 3-3 draw in an all-Premier League contest at St. James' Park.
Anthony Gordon equalized for Newcastle with a penalty deep into stoppage time. Harvey Barnes grabbed his second goal for Newcastle two minutes before the end of extra time, only for Marcus Tavernier to level for Bournemouth with seconds remaining to take the game to penalties.
In the shootout, Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale saved from Bafodé Diakité in what proved to be the final kick.
Chelsea marked new coach Liam Rosenior’s first match in charge by beating second-tier Charlton Athletic 5-1.
Defender Jorrel Hato and Tosin Adarabioyo scored either side of halftime for a heavily rotated Chelsea before Marc Guiu and substitutes Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez added more goals.
Rosenior was hired on Tuesday on a six-year deal as the replacement for Enzo Maresca and joined from Strasbourg, which is part of the same ownership group as Chelsea.
Tottenham completed a miserable week by losing to Aston Villa 2-1.
On Wednesday, Spurs conceded in stoppage time to lose at Bournemouth in the Premier League and some of its disgruntled fans were involved in a row with players, including Micky van de Ven. Cristian Romero also let rip at the club on social media.
Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers scored for Villa in the first half and Wilson Odobert replied for Tottenham.
In another all-Premier League matchup, Sunderland beat Everton on penalties after the match finished 1-1 following extra time.
Premier League sides Brentford, Fulham, Burnley and Wolverhampton all beat lower-level opposition.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Chelsea's Tosin Adarabioyo celebrates scoring his team's second goal of the game during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Charlton Athletic and Chelsea in London, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Josh Kay celebrates with fans following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, second left, and Tottenham Hotspur's Joao Palhinha, right, clash after the FA Cup third round soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in London, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
Manchester City's Jeremy Doku substitutes Antoine Semenyo during the FA Cup third round match between Manchetster City and Exeter City in Manchester, England Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield FC goalscorers Paul Dawson, right and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrate following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Paul Dawson scores the opening goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates scoring his side's second goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Josh Kay celebrates with fans following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scores his side's second goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Yeremi Pino and Macclesfield Town's Rollin Menayese vie for the ball, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Kaden Rodney, center right, and Macclesfield Town's Paul Dawson vie for the ball, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
