Orioles tackle surprising Pirates to start road trip

Field Level Media|published: Fri 5th April, 18:51 2024

Apr 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) runs the bases after his solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. credits: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Grayson Rodriguez logged 6 1/3 strong innings as the Baltimore Orioles spoiled the Pittsburgh Pirates' home opener with a 5-2 victory on Friday.

Rodriguez (2-0) allowed two runs on six hits while walking two and striking out seven. Danny Coulombe got the final two outs of the seventh, Yennier Cano worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Craig Kimbrel followed with a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.

Ryan O'Hearn, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Anthony Santander each had two hits for the Orioles.

Oneil Cruz went 3-for-4 with a home run for Pittsburgh, which lost for just the second time in eight games to start the season. Jared Triolo also homered, while Ke'Bryan Hayes went 2-for-3 with a walk.

Michael A. Taylor saw a season-opening, seven-game hitting streak come to an end.

Pirates starter Jared Jones (1-1) lasted six innings, giving up two runs and six hits. He didn't issue a walk and fanned seven.

Baltimore essentially put the game away in the top of the seventh, getting a run-scoring single from Rutschman and an RBI double from Santander to go up 4-1.

That insurance proved to be vital, as Triolo went deep in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-2.

Cedric Mullins restored the Orioles' three-run lead in the eighth by clanging a homer off the right field foul pole.

Jones struck out three of the first four batters he faced before O'Hearn clubbed a solo shot in the second to open the scoring.

Henderson doubled the lead an inning later with a solo home run of his own.

Pittsburgh had a chance to trim its deficit in the home half of the third when it had runners on the corners with one out, but Jack Suwinski and Andrew McCutchen popped out to end the frame.

O'Hearn then legged out a triple to open the fourth after sending a ball to the right-center-field gap that Bryan Reynolds and Taylor let fall in between them. However, the Orioles couldn't find a way to bring O'Hearn home.

Cruz cleared the right field wall in the fifth to pull the Pirates within 2-1.

—Field Level Media

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