Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson combined for six hits, three runs and three RBIs out of the top two spots in the lineup and the Baltimore Orioles scored early and often en route to a 9-4 victory over the host Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.
Cedric Mullins and Jordan Westburg added two RBIs apiece and Adam Frazier scored twice for the Orioles, who improved to 4-3 on a nine-game Western swing.
Baltimore scored three times in the first inning against A’s opener Francisco Perez (0-1) and never trailed in beating Oakland for the fourth time in five head-to-heads this season. Ryan Mountcastle had an RBI single and Mullins a two-run double in the uprising.
Henderson belted his 20th home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the second inning to increase the lead to 5-1, before the visitors made it a runaway with two more runs apiece in the fourth and fifth.
Westburg’s sacrifice fly and Henderson’s RBI single made it 7-2 in the fourth, before Frazier had a run-scoring double and Westburg an RBI single in the fifth.
All nine Baltimore starting position players, as well as lone backup Ramon Urias, had at least one hit in the win.
Orioles starter Kyle Gibson (12-7) benefitted from a 16-hit attack, coasting through five innings in which he allowed four runs and nine hits. He struck out six and did not walk anyone.
Henderson led the way for the Orioles with three hits, two runs and three RBIs, while Rutschman, the leadoff hitter, went 3-for-4 with a run.
Ryan O’Hearn and Austin Hays also had two hits for Baltimore, which was coming off consecutive losses Tuesday and Wednesday in San Diego.
Brent Rooker collected two doubles and a single for the A’s, who were opening a six-game homestand. He scored two of Oakland’s four runs.
Seth Brown chipped in with two hits and two RBIs, while Lawrence Butler and Tony Kemp contributed two hits apiece to a 12-hit Oakland attack.
Perez pitched just the first inning, charged with three runs on four hits. He struck out one.
–Field Level Media
