The festivities have subsided and the fanfare of opening day has passed, but the Orioles aren’t going anywhere.
Baltimore beat the Los Angeles Angels, 13-4, for its second straight win to open the 2024 season Saturday behind a nine-run sixth inning in which the Orioles sent nine batters to the plate before recording an out. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson led the way, finishing a double shy of the cycle with three 105-plus mph hits and a leadoff home run.
After jumping out to a 3-1 lead through five innings against Angels starter Griffin Canning, the Orioles forced Los Angeles manager Ron Washington to turn to his bullpen with a walk by Ryan Mountcastle and a single by Ryan O’Hearn to open the frame. Angels reliever Luis García then allowed four straight hits before ceding the ball to Guillo Zuñiga, who gave up three more before finally getting Los Angeles out of the frame.
By then, the damage was done. RBI hits by left fielder Austin Hays (one-run single), center fielder Cedric Mullins (one-run double), second baseman Jordan Westburg (two-run single), Henderson (two-run triple) and right fielder Anthony Santander (three-run home run) put the game well out of reach. Santander, who also homered opening day, put the exclamation point on the inning as the ninth consecutive batter to reach.
“It’s just a really good inning offensively,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We have guys that can do different things. We can hit the ball out of the ballpark, we can run, we can put the ball in play. We kind of showed it all there that inning.”
On a day when Henderson received his 2023 Silver Slugger Award along with Rutschman, the Orioles’ reigning American League Rookie of the Year showed why the honor was warranted. Henderson finished 3-for-4, tying Angels left fielder Taylor Ward for the longest fly ball of the day at 419 feet with his first-inning home run. He put the ball in play every at-bat.
“It was pretty cool,” Henderson said. “Growing up and seeing guys get them, it’s pretty special been able to see it and especially win one in my first year. So, I’m really humbled by that.”
Mountcastle also had a big day for Baltimore, though it could have been bigger. He came a few feet away from two home runs, one to the deepest part of the extended left-field wall and another that landed in the glove of Angels center fielder Mickey Moniak on the warning track. Instead, the first baseman had to settle for two doubles and three RBIs.
The entire Orioles lineup has gotten off to a hot start. The club beat the Angels, 11-3, on opening day, becoming just the eighth team in MLB history to score 11-plus runs in each of their first two games of a season. Their 24 total runs so far are the second-most in club history over the same span — just one short of the 2006 Orioles, who scored 25 in two games.
The win ensured the defending American League East champions would claim their first series of the year, extending their streak of 92 consecutive regular-season series without being swept dating to 2022. With two dominant victories already, the Orioles have made a statement about their intentions for 2024.
Rodriguez follows Burnes’ lead
After offseason addition Corbin Burnes showed out with a record-setting 11 strikeouts in his Orioles debut Thursday, 24-year-old Grayson Rodriguez followed up with a nine-strikeout effort of his own. Rodriguez touched 99 mph with his fastball and showcased a tantalizing pitch repertoire as he allowed one run on four hits and a walk in 84 pitches.
“He was talking some smack to me after the game,” Rodriguez said. “I like that. That’s going to help me tremendously. I think this rotation is going to be really competitive with each other. We’re going to hold each other to high standards.”
Rodriguez got the ball for the Orioles’ second game of the season one year after being left off their opening day roster entirely. He struggled when his call-up finally did arrive in mid-April but hit a groove in the second half. Though a poor playoff debut and early exit for the Orioles “left a lot of sour tastes in our mouths,” Rodriguez kicked off his 2024 campaign by building off the success he had down the stretch last season.
“I just wanted him to pick up where he left off last year in the second half that he had and how aggressive he was in the strike zone and aggressive from the first pitch of the at-bat,” Hyde said before the game.
“That’s the whole key with him is working ahead in the count. He’s got such good stuff. He’s got such a great fastball and good changeup to when he gets one on hitters, it puts the hitter in a defensive mode because this stuff is so good.”
The changeup, which clocked in 13 mph slower than Rodriguez’s fastball on average, was his best pitch of the day, generating a game-high seven swings-and-misses. He also pulled out his curveball for a couple strikeouts and mixed in the occasional slider and cutter.
“It was feeling pretty good,” Rodriguez said with a laugh. “I was just glad I was able to throw it for strikes. I was able to put it anywhere I wanted it. Hopefully we’re going to keep that rolling moving forward.”
Rodriguez combined with Orioles relievers Danny Coulombe, Jacob Webb and Mike Baumann to tally 13 strikeouts in the game. Their 27 strikeouts on the young season also set a franchise record for the most through two games, eclipsing the previous mark of 23 set in 2016. It’s just the fifth time the Orioles reached 20.
Left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez originally got the nod for the ninth inning but left after six pitches with an apparent injury. The 27-year-old motioned for a trainer immediately after his delivery. He grabbed the right side of his lower back and held his hand there as he walked off the field. Hyde said in his postgame press conference that Pérez was dealing with “lower back tightness” and he’ll be reevaluated Sunday.
Baumann replaced Pérez and allowed two runs, one of which was charged to the left-hander, before closing out the game.
Angels at Orioles
Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM