Grayson Rodriguez and the Baltimore Orioles spoiled Pittsburgh’s Opening Day – or their home opener, at least. In a game played in various spurts of snow flurries, the Birds came out ahead. Rodriguez’s line: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K.
The O’s took a 1-0 lead on a solo homer by Ryan O’Hearn in the second inning. One inning later they extended it to 2-0 in the same manner – a solo homer. This one off the bat of Gunnar Henderson.
Rodriguez had a key inning in the third. Pittsburgh ran itself out of an out…until they didn’t. A runner was thrown out at third, but the call was overturned on the field. For one reason or the other, the Orioles neglected to challenge the call. That gave Pittsburgh runners at the corner with nobody out. Rodriguez could have come unglued there, but he pitched out of it. And preserved the lead.
Pittsburgh would cut the lead in half in the fifth on a solo homer by Cruz. But the Birds put across some insurance in the seventh. Four hits netted them two additional runs. They came on an RBI-single by Adley Rutschman, and an RBI-double by Anthony Santander.
And it’s a good thing they put those rubs up, because Pittsburgh chased Rodriguez in the bottom of the inning after a solo homer by Triolo. However the Orioles’ pen held strong. And Cedric Mullins’ solo homer in the eighth would give the O’s a 5-2 lead. Which ended up a 5-2 win.
The series continues tomorrow at PNC Park. Tyler Wells gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Pittsburgh’s Bailey Falter. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.
Birdland Crush 