Kimbrel save ball retrieved from Kauffman Stadium fountain

Baltimore Orioles catcher James McCann and relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel celebrate after their baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Orioles won 9-7. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Baltimore left fielder Colton Cowser threw the ball from the final out of a 9-7 win over Kansas City into the Kauffman Stadium fountains. About two minutes later, he realized he might have made a mistake.

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Orioles won 9-7. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Craig Kimbrel had gotten his 422nd save Saturday night, tying Billy Wagner for seventh on the career list.

“Right when I threw it I said, ’Craig has a lot of saves, that one might be important,’” Cowser recalled.

Cowser, who entered as a replacement when Austin Hayes’ calf tightened, had caught Salvador Perez’s fly in front of the warning track. When Cowser realized what he had done, he ran back onto the field and searched.

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“There were two balls in the fountains and the other one was really old,” he said.

Kimbrel, 35, has five saves in six chances this season and the nine-time All-Star has allowed just one run in nine innings.

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Orioles manager Brandon Hyde knew Kimbrel needed that ball and faulted the 24-year-old rookie.

“I guess Cow just threw the ball into the stands,” Hyde said. “We’ve got to have a little more awareness out in left field when you catch that, when the guy on the mound is that high in saves.”

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