Grayson Rodriguez notched a career-high 10 strikeouts, but the Orioles failed to score after the first inning in an 8-3 defeat.
The Orioles appeared to pick up a struggling Grayson Rodriguez with a three-run first inning, but Boston snatched the lead right back in the top of the second. Rodriguez settled in with a career-best 10 strikeouts, but the Orioles failed to score after the first inning. Boston extended the lead late, and Baltimore fell 8-3 in Game 2 at Camden Yards.
Rodriguez struck out the first batter he faced, but Wilyer Abreu went to the bottom of the zone and lifted an 0-1 changeup over the right-field scoreboard with one out in the first.
Rodriguez could only tip his cap on a nice piece of hitting by Abreu, but Rodriguez let things spiral after that. Rob Refsnyder doubled on a slider that caught too much of the plate, and Rafael Devers drove in the second run of the game with a two-out single in the first.
The Orioles immediately picked Rodriguez up with three runs in the bottom of the first. Gunnar Henderson doubled down the left field line, Adley Rutschman worked a walk, and Ryan O’Hearn avoided a double play on a fielder’s choice to third.
Cleanup hitter Colton Cowser took advantage of his first RBI opportunity with an infield single. Anthony Santander took a pitch off the foot to reload the bases, and Jordan Westburg followed with another two-strike masterpiece.
Westburg fell behind 0-2 before going with a 97-MPH fastball on the outside corner. Westburg punched the ball to right field, and both O’Hearn and Cowser came around to score.
The Orioles quickly reclaimed the lead but failed to extend it. Kyle Stowers struck out swinging, and Cedric Mullins bounced out to end the inning.
Baltimore’s offense picked up Rodriguez, but the failed to deliver the shutdown inning. Rodriguez started the second with another strikeout, but Ceddanne Rafaela singled on a middle-middle fastball. Rodriguez grooved another first pitch fastball to Jarren Duran, and Duran evened the score with a double to deep center.
Rodriguez struckout Abreu before plunking Refsnyder with two outs. The 24-year-old nearly escaped when Devers popped a ball to shallow left, but Cowser did not get the best jump. Henderson attempted to make a basket catch, but the ball fell to the grass. Duran scored, and Boston reclaimed the lead.
Baltimore failed to score for the remainder of the game. Its best chance came with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth inning. Santander singled, Westburg took a pitch off the hand, and a pinch-hitting Ryan Mountcastle walked to bring the tying run within 90 feet.
Brandon Hyde went to his bench again, but Austin Hays went down swinging for the first out. Jorge Mateo tapped a ball back to the mound for a 1-2 fielder’s choice, and Henderson struck out on three pitches to end the threat.
Rodriguez posted four consecutive zeros to preserve the bullpen and keep Baltimore in the game. Rodriguez only walked one batter, but command issues led to hard contact early on for the Sox.
Cionel Pérez tossed a clean seventh before allowing a leadoff triple to Devers in the eighth. Yennier Cano entered and failed to strand the inherited runner. Devers accounted for four of Boston’s 11 hits.
Keegan Akin entered in the ninth hoping for a bounceback appearance. Akin had allowed four runs in his last three innings, and he struggled once again tonight. The lefty surrendered a single and a walk before Duran bunted both runners into scoring position.
Romy Gonzalez drove in the sixth run with a sacrifice fly, and Refsnyder officially broke things open with a two-run shot over the wall in left. Akin managed to complete the inning, but he’s certainly trending in the wrong direction.
The Orioles will look to secure the series tomorrow evening with Corbin Burnes on the mound against Kutter Crawford.