In an effort that was almost a mirror image of the one Corbin Burnes produced on Thursday, Grayson Rodriguez (1-0) set the tone for the Baltimore Orioles 13-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. Rodriguez allowed one run on 4 hits while walking 1, striking out 9 and throwing a wild pitch over 6.0 innings. The lone run allowed came on a fourth inning Taylor Ward homerun. When all was said and done, Rodriguez had both his first quality start and first win of ’24.
Gunnar Henderson (3 for 4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) led off the home half of the first with a 419 ft. homerun to centerfield to start the scoring, ultimately finishing a double short of the cycle. Ryan Mountcastle (2 for 3, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB) doubled in the second run of the first inning as well as doubling in a run in the fourth.
A nine-run sixth inning broke the game wide open with all nine runs scoring before the Orioles recorded an out. Anthony Santander (2 for 4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) was right in the middle of it, hitting his second homerun of the season 359 ft. to right center. Jordan Westburg (1 for 4, R, 2 RBI) singled in two runs in the frame as well.
Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays each went 1 for 4 with a run scored and 1 RBI.
Adley Rutschman went 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a walk.
Baltimore’s relief corps was solid with Danny Coulombe allowing a hit and striking out 1 in the seventh inning and new girl-dad, Jacob Webb striking out 1 in the eighth. A hiccup came in the ninth when Cionel Perez (0.0 IP, 2 R, 2 H) left the game after throwing just five pitches with lower back discomfort.
Mike Baumann (1.0 IP, R, 3 H, 2 K) finished the game for the Birds.
2024 Record: 2-0
Next Game: Sun. 3/31 @ 1:35 pm vs. LA Angels