Trey Yesavage had never had to work as hard in a big league start as he did Saturday.

Yesavage had never walked more than three batters in a game before the Orioles drew seven free passes against one of the game’s budding stars. Over five innings, he threw just 48 strikes, a season low.

The O’s patient approach produced only one run against Yesavage, but it worked in a magical ninth inning that ended in a Pete Alonso walk-off single and a 6-5 win.

After dropping the first two games of their series against the Blue Jays, and looking lifeless for eight innings of Saturday’s game, the O’s woke up to deliver the third walk-off of the homestand.

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Facing almost-Oriole Jeff Hoffman in a 5-1 game, the O’s strung together hits for the first time. After Coby Mayo was hit by a pitch, Leody Taveras tripled him in, then scored on a Jackson Holliday single. Colton Cowser doubled, followed by consecutive walks to Taylor Ward, Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman.

That set up a bases-loaded, one-out situation for Pete Alonso, who smacked a single the other way off Connor Seabold.

Though he didn’t get the win, Brandon Young continued his run of solid starts. One of the best surprises of the season, Young struck out a career-high seven batters across 6 2/3 innings. He allowed just two earned runs and lowered his ERA to 3.35.

Baltimore’s bullpen didn’t pick him up, however.

One day after blowing a late lead in a gut-wrenching 6-5 loss, the relief corps allowed a close game to slip away, ruining another terrific start by Young.

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Anthony Nunez, the 24-year-old rookie who has become one of the O’s high-leverage relievers, allowed two runners to reach in the eighth inning. Keegan Akin, mired in the worst season of his career, let both runners score on a Kazuma Okamoto double.

A 2-1 Blue Jays lead became a 4-1 advantage.

This is a bullpen operating without its $28 million closer. Ryan Helsley, who has been out with right elbow inflammation since the beginning of May, threw a bullpen session Saturday, according to manager Craig Albernaz.

It was Baltimore’s patience at the plate that also led to its first run of the game. Walks by Jeremiah Jackson and Ward in the third inning set up a Henderson RBI single.

That was the O’s only hit with runners in scoring position until the ninth. Entering the final frame, they were 1-for-7 with runners on, leaving six on base.