Trevor Rogers limited Texas to only three hits over eight innings, and Jackson Holliday drove in four of Baltimore’s six runs.
Trevor Rogers shined in his season debut, but the lefty failed to complete three innings in his second start. If tonight’s outing marked some form of a tiebreaker, Rogers left it all out on the mound. The 27-year-old became the first Baltimore starter to toss eight shutout innings since 2023, and the Orioles blanked the Rangers 6-0 at Camden Yards.
Rogers may have exited early his last time out, but he provided the bullpen plenty of rest tonight. The lefty routinely hit 95 MPH with his fastball and threw 72-of-101 pitches for strikes. He ended the day with only three hits, zero walks, and four strikeouts.
The southpaw hit the ground running with a pair of strikeouts in the first. He sent Wyatt Langford down swinging before dotting the corner against Marcus Semien. The lefty continued to display some increased velocity with multiple pitches reaching 96 MPH in the first frame.
The Birds failed to hang an eight spot in the second inning this time, but Rogers kept his foot on the gas. He danced around a leadoff single in the second and retired the side in the third.
Baltimore spotted Rogers the lead with some two-out magic in the third. Backup catcher Chadwick Tromp lined a ball to shallow left, and Sam Haggerty failed to make a diving catch. Tromp hustled to second for a double, and he jogged home on a two-bagger by Jackson Holliday.
After a scoreless fourth, Holliday struck again with two outs in the fifth. Coby Mayo and Cedric Mullins both singled before Holliday skied a pitch the other way. The ball carried 404 feet and sailed into the bullpen for a 4-0 lead.
In need of a shutdown inning, Rogers faced his only real test in the top of the sixth. He quickly retired Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue, but Rogers allowed a pair of singles to Haggerty and Langford. The lefty got ahead of Semien before generating a harmless fly ball with a 2-2 changeup.
Rogers escaped the inning unscathed, and the Birds went right back to work. Gary Sánchez and Ramón Urías both singled to start the inning, and Colton Cowser dropped down a bunt. Cowser pushed the ball perfectly down the third base line, and the Rangers waited to ensure the ball remained in fair territory. The ball stayed on the right side of the line, and the O’s loaded the bases for Coby Mayo.
It would have been a great time for Mayo’s first MLB home run, but the rookie settled for a soft grounder to second base. Foscue took his only available out at first base, and the O’s advantage swelled to five.
Rogers retired the side in the seventh with some help from a diving Gunnar Henderson, and the Orioles added their sixth run in the bottom half. Ramón Laureano doubled to left, the Rangers intentionally walked Henderson, and Sánchez took a ball off the hand to load the bases. The HBP immediately caused some concern with Baltimore’s backstops dropping like flies, but Sánchez took his base and remained in the game after a quick chat with the trainer.
Urías drove in the sixth run with a sacrifice fly to center, and Rogers returned for the eighth inning. The former Marlin got a pair of quick outs before generating another grounder from Foscue. Mayo capped the inning with another nice pick at first base, and Rogers left to a standing ovation at Camden Yards.
Andrew Kittredge preserved the shutout with a clean ninth.
The victory provided Baltimore some much needed momentum after dropping a series in New York. Rogers turned in arguably the best start of his career, and Holliday made his latest case for an All-Star appearance with a pair of extra-base hits.
Best of all, Rogers demonstrated that his first start was not a fluke. He suddenly looks like an intriguing piece for the remainder of this year and beyond.
The win brought the Orioles back to 10 games below .500 (34-44). They will look to take the series tomorrow with Charlie Morton on the mound.