More so than the velocity Gunnar Henderson confirmed as he rounded the bases, and extra so than the ball slipping out of left fielder César Hernández’s grasp on his throw, maybe essentially the most stunning factor concerning the play that broke Wednesday evening’s recreation open was that Henderson by no means misplaced his helmet.
In the Orioles rookie’s first marquee second within the main leagues, that helmet gave technique to his blonde locks, both by the sheer pressure of his swing or the velocity of his legs. But within the seventh inning at Nationals Park on Wednesday, Henderson chugged and the helmet remained — all the way in which from the batter’s field, round first, second and third, and into dwelling plate about 15 seconds later.
Baltimore wanted a spark in opposition to Washington, having staggered by way of six innings in opposition to left-hander Patrick Corbin. Against the Nationals’ bullpen, nevertheless, the Orioles instantly broke by way of, with Henderson’s hard-hit triple down the third bottom line propelling Baltimore to a 6-2 win to maintain tempo within the race towards the ultimate American League wild-card spot. With the victory, the Orioles are 4 video games again of the Tampa Bay Rays heading right into a three-game sequence with the Toronto Blue Jays, though the Rays personal the tiebreaker over Baltimore.
As the Orioles battle to provide with runners in scoring place, Henderson has a been a brilliant spot. The 21-year-old is 4-for-9 with runners in scoring place this month; the remainder of his teammates are 15-for-84.
It was Henderson’s groundout within the second inning that obtained Baltimore on the board early after it loaded the bases. The Orioles solely managed one run after producing three straight singles in opposition to Corbin, who settled in and didn’t enable one other hit till Austin Hays’ double to start the sixth.
But within the seventh, with right-hander Mason Thompson on the mound, supervisor Brandon Hyde inserted outfielder Cedric Mullins as a pinch hitter. He promptly singled, shifting Jesús Aguilar to second. That introduced Henderson up, and his liner down the road off Thompson despatched Henderson off to the races.
Henderson ran from dwelling plate to 3rd base in 11.12 seconds, in line with MLB.com, the third quickest home-to-third time this season. When the ball squirted out of Hernández’s hand as he tried to throw it in, Henderson may jaunt dwelling to finish his Little League homer.
The sudden burst of vitality ignited the Orioles-heavy crowd at Nationals Park, who chanted “Let’s go O’s” after shortstop Jorge Mateo despatched Thompson’s subsequent pitch over the left discipline fence. And within the eighth, Henderson’s blast off the right-field fence plated Mullins for his career-high fourth RBI.
The offensive output cleared the road for right-hander Tyler Wells, who allowed two solo homers and nothing else, and it positioned right-hander Austin Voth for the win in opposition to his former membership.
The increase Henderson has given Baltimore has been obvious on an on a regular basis foundation and thru memorable moments. In his second main league at-bat, he clobbered a homer for his first hit — and misplaced his helmet. That helmet additionally left his head throughout his ninth-inning single in that recreation. Henderson has supplied a game-winning hit in opposition to the Red Sox and now a double and triple Wednesday in opposition to Washington.
As the youngest place participant in baseball, Henderson owns a .328 batting common with an .890 OPS. Even as Mullins discovered himself out of the beginning lineup in opposition to a left-handed starter for the fifth straight time, Henderson batted eighth regardless of the left-on-left matchup.
Mullins later entered in opposition to the right-handed Nationals relievers, singling twice to supply a runner on base for Henderson. But Henderson’s presence all through the night exhibits Hyde’s willingness to present the burgeoning star these alternatives, even by way of each at-bats in opposition to Corbin led to groundouts.
Henderson wanted to be there as soon as a right-hander stood on the mound. And as soon as a right-hander was there, Henderson delivered one other emphatic second — the sort he’s had a penchant for lower than a month into his massive league profession.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com