In video games like these, youth and inexperience are sometimes referenced as negatives. Grayson Rodriguez and Gunnar Henderson flipped that narrative Saturday night time.
The Orioles’ two youngest gamers entered the season because the membership’s high two prospects and among the many sport’s finest. In the most important recreation of their careers, the pair proved that their immense expertise issues way over their lack of expertise.
Rodriguez masterfully twirled eight scoreless innings, whereas Henderson hit an early dwelling run to interrupt the offense out of its droop to hold the Orioles to a vital 8-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
“This is what you dream of whenever you go through the minor leagues together, is playing meaningful games in September,” Henderson mentioned. “It was really fun to be able to go out there and especially watch him do his thing right behind him.”
The win ended Baltimore’s four-game dropping streak and put the membership again in sole possession of first place atop the American League East. With its win and the Texas Rangers’ loss, the Orioles’ magic quantity to make the playoffs fell to 1.
If the Orioles (92-56) win Sunday, they’ll clinch their first playoff berth since 2016.
Rodriguez, 23, delivered the perfect begin of his profession, scattering simply 5 hits and no walks whereas placing out seven. Entering the season, the right-hander was the game’s second-best pitching prospect, in keeping with Baseball America, however he struggled in his first stint within the majors and was demoted to Triple-A. He returned in July and has since cemented himself as not simply one of many Orioles’ most dependable starters, however top-of-the-line pitchers within the AL.
Henderson, 22, clobbered a 428-foot dwelling run off Rays starter Tyler Glasnow within the second inning to provide the Orioles an early 4-0 lead. The shortstop was the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball earlier than the season and is the front-runner to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
“You’ve all seen what Gunnar can do,” Rodriguez mentioned. “We’ve gotten to watch that for a lot longer than a lot of these Orioles fans have, I guess, since being in the minor leagues together. I’m glad the world’s finally seeing what kind of special talent he is.”
The Orioles entered Saturday reeling, they usually wanted a solution to flip round their dropping methods. There Rodriguez and Henderson have been to breathe life into the struggling membership and ship it a significant triumph. After it, the 2 rookies did the postgame interview on the sphere collectively and shared the Gatorade tub.
“They stepped up, and we had a lot of guys step up, but those two guys for sure,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “And they’re high-character, ultra-competitive guys. They haven’t any concern. They assume they belong, they usually assume they need to succeed.
“They’re just unbelievably competitive and really, really want to win, and it matters to them.”
The AL’s two finest groups entered the four-game set at Camden Yards with the highest spot within the AL East within the stability. After dropping the primary two video games of the collection, the Orioles dropped right into a tie with the Rays — the primary time Baltimore hadn’t been in sole possession of first place since claiming it in Tampa Bay in July.
Each recreation this collection is twice as significant as a standard recreation given the stakes for the division. But the Orioles profitable only one recreation this weekend was much more vital, as it might give the membership the season collection over the Rays for the primary time since 2016. That head-to-head report is used because the tiebreaker, so Baltimore’s one-game lead over Tampa Bay (92-58) is successfully two. Given that, the Orioles’ magic quantity to win the division fell from 15 to 12.
“Everybody showed up ready to play ball,” Rodriguez mentioned. “We hadn’t really run into a stretch like this, but I don’t think you could really tell that from the guys. Attitudes didn’t change. Everyone was still confident in their ability to win a baseball game.”
While the best method for the Orioles to clinch a playoff spot is to win Sunday, they’ll additionally accomplish that if the Seattle Mariners lose late Saturday night time and Sunday or if the Mariners lose certainly one of their subsequent two and the Rangers lose Sunday.
“I’m not talking about it,” Hyde mentioned, not desirous to jinx something. “I’m not saying the word.”
The win, their tenth shutout of the season, ensured an 87th straight collection with out being swept, extending the membership’s AL report. It additionally offers the Orioles 40 extra wins this 12 months than that they had in 2021, once they went 52-110. Excluding shortened seasons, they’re the fifth group in MLB historical past — and first since 1963 — to enhance that a lot in a two-year span, in keeping with the Elias Sports Bureau. The report is 41 held by three groups earlier than 1940.
Baltimore entered Saturday with simply six runs and a .148 batting common throughout its four-game dropping streak — maybe their worst offensive stretch this season. Their bats lastly broke out within the early innings towards Glasnow, who has additionally been one of many sport’s finest pitchers in current months. Since Rodriguez’s return July 17, he and Glasnow started Saturday’s tilt within the high 10 amongst certified starters with ERAs beneath 3.00.
The Orioles wanted to catch a break, they usually acquired it within the first when veteran Ryan O’Hearn’s bloop to left subject fell simply in need of Randy Arozarena’s diving glove for an RBI single to attain Henderson, who led off the sport with a line drive up the center. Before Henderson’s two-run blast within the second, Ramón Urías and Adam Frazier got here via with two-out singles, with the latter’s scoring the previous.
Henderson then introduced Camden Yards to its toes by leaping on Glasnow’s first pitch, an inside slider, and smoking it into the middle subject stands.
“I just knew what I was looking for,” Henderson mentioned. “Luckily I didn’t miss it.”
Like Rodriguez, Henderson had a sluggish begin to the season, however, additionally like his buddy, he’s been one of many sport’s Most worthy gamers since. Henderson, who went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs, is the Orioles’ chief in OPS at .833. He set Baltimore’s rookie report for runs scored in a season with 91, surpassing Cal Ripken Jr.’s mark of 90 in 1982. His twenty seventh dwelling run of the season tied him with Eddie Murray for many amongst Orioles rookies, behind solely Ryan Mountcastle (33 in 2021) and Ripken (28 in 1982).
“What he’s doing as a rookie is pretty amazing,” Hyde mentioned. “I’ve simply been so impressed by him and his bodily instruments, however how onerous he performs, his mentality, how aggressive he’s.
“For being 22 years old, playing in this type of stage in late September, it’s really fun to watch.”
The Orioles plated two extra within the fourth — singles from Henderson and Adley Rutschman, the membership’s second- and first-round picks within the 2019 draft — to bounce Glasnow. The Rays’ 6-foot-8 right-hander devoured the rebuild-era Orioles, posting a 2.08 ERA and 0.865 WHIP in six begins towards them from 2018 to 2020. In three begins towards Baltimore this season, Glasnow has an 8.22 ERA and 1.565 WHIP.
Cedric Mullins and Urías hit RBI singles within the fifth off Rays reliever Erasmo Ramírez to increase the Orioles’ result in eight. The runs off Ramírez have been the primary Tampa Bay’s bullpen had allowed in 36 1/3 innings.
On one other night time, these runs might need mattered. But not with Rodriguez on the mound.
“He’s a warrior,” Hyde mentioned.
The flamethrower mowed via the Rays’ lineup via three innings, retiring the primary 9 batters so as with 4 strikeouts and a high-90s mph fastball that topped out at 100.1 mph. He relied on his heater greater than in any begin of his profession, throwing the pitch 69% of the time — about 20% above his regular price.
But Kyle Bradish and Jack Flaherty additionally dominated the primary time via the order, solely to have the Rays put up crooked numbers throughout their second at-bats. Leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz and No. 3 hitter Arozarena recorded hits within the fourth, however Rodriguez exited the jam with a floor ball double play.
Innings just like the fourth have been those that always plagued him in his first large league stint when he posted a 7.35 ERA in 10 begins. But he’s remodeled into a brand new pitcher — the one he hoped to be as he soared via the minors — over the previous two months.
“He’s a tough kid, and that was a tough pill for him to swallow with all the expectations this year,” Hyde mentioned. “Give him a ton of credit for dealing with that, looking in the mirror a little bit, understanding that there’s some work to do, not a finished product. Still got some work to do, but he is going to be an excellent starting pitcher in this game for a long time.”
Two runners reached off Rodriguez within the fifth in sixth innings — the previous of which he took a 107.6 mph grounder off his leg — however he escaped these conditions unscathed, as nicely. He retired the following six batters so as. The seventh ended with a Gold Glove-worthy catch from Austin Hays in left subject, and Rodriguez concluded his night time with a depraved curveball to strike out Brandon Lowe for a career-high eight innings. His signature scream into his glove that’s typically heard in moments of pleasure was drowned out by the cheers of the 38,432 followers in attendance.
“The fans kept me in the game, for sure,” Rodriguez mentioned about pitching via his bruised leg. “Me and Adley were laughing about it. We were coming out of the bullpen. We were saying, “Let’s have some fun, there’s 35,000 or 40,000 of our best friends here tonight.’ They kept me in the game.”
Rodriguez mentioned delivering in an enormous recreation was “pretty special,” however he has his eyes on extra than simply September baseball.
“Hopefully we’re doing that into October,” he mentioned.
The battle for the AL East doesn’t finish with one win, although. The Orioles have another recreation towards the Rays and 13 after that earlier than the postseason.
Saturday’s win, Hyde mentioned, was proof, if anybody wanted it, that his kids, led by Rodriguez and Henderson, “play with absolutely no fear.”
“They’re just playing their butts off every single night,” Hyde mentioned.
Around the horn
- Before the sport, the Orioles recalled right-handed reliever Mike Baumann and optioned Bryan Baker to Triple-A. Baumann, who pitched a scoreless ninth Saturday, was one of many membership’s most dependable relievers via the season’s first 4 months earlier than struggling in August.
- Closer Félix Bautista performed catch for the second day in a row Saturday for what’s believed to be the primary time since he injured his elbow in late August. Bautista, maybe the perfect reliever within the sport, is on the 15-day injured record with {a partially} torn ulnar collateral ligament.
- Hyde mentioned first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who hasn’t performed since Wednesday with left shoulder discomfort, felt “just OK” after taking swings Friday. Hyde hoped Mountcastle can be obtainable off the bench Saturday, however he wasn’t wanted within the blowout victory.
- Triple-A Norfolk right-hander Chayce McDermott (again pressure), the Orioles’ No. 13 prospect, and Tides outfielder Daz Cameron (sprained finger) have been positioned on the injured record Saturday.
Rays at Orioles
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com