Grayson Rodriguez gave the Orioles a much-needed quality start and Anthony Santander hit two home runs Saturday against the Phillies.
The Orioles needed a gutsy performance from Grayson Rodriguez.
Following a tiring, extra-inning loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Baltimore could’ve used a boost and some energy from its young starting pitcher. After fellow starter Kyle Bradish was placed on the injured list with a sprained elbow ligament, the ballclub needed reassurance that its rotation could withstand yet another injury.
And with a worn-down bullpen, the Orioles needed the right-hander to eat innings against one of baseball’s best lineups.
Rodriguez achieved all that and more Saturday, firing seven innings of two-run ball to lead Baltimore past Philadelphia, 6-2, in front of another sold-out crowd at Camden Yards. After allowing a run in each of the game’s first two innings, he grinded through the next five, striking out six, stranding five runners and strutting off Oriole Park’s mound to a standing ovation.
Anthony Santander led the offense and continued his scorching-hot June by driving in four of Baltimore’s six runs. After smacking a game-tying homer Friday, he did the same Saturday with a solo shot in the fourth. Santander later provided welcomed insurance with a two-run blast in the eighth — his 17th long ball of the season and his eighth this month.
Santander, who also drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, has often started seasons slowly before heating up in June. This year, he posted a .211 batting average and a mediocre .712 OPS through May, but in 15 games this month, the veteran switch-hitter is hitting .298 with an OPS over 1.000.
With Bradish on the shelf, Rodriguez is again the Orioles’ No. 2 starter behind ace Corbin Burnes. The sophomore fireballer is more than capable to reassume the role.
Saturday marked his first time completing seven innings this season, as he induced an inning-ending groundout of leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber on his 99th pitch. The only runs scored off him came on Alec Bohm’s RBI double in the first and Edmundo Sosa’s solo shot in the second.
Rodriguez, who leads the Orioles with eight wins, lowered his ERA to 3.20 and has pitched to a 2.72 average in six starts since returning from the IL one month ago.
“That’s what we’re going to need,” manager Brandon Hyde said pregame about pitchers stepping up with Bradish out. “These guys have done a great job so far. We’re going to need innings out of our rotation, hoping we can fill Kyle’s void as best we possibly can. But it’s a big loss.”
Right-hander Bryan Baker, who was recalled from Triple-A earlier this week, was thrown into a high-leverage situation in the eighth against the heart of the Phillies’ order. He handled the pressure with aplomb, retiring Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm in order.
Closer Craig Kimbrel entered to boos from the large contingent of Phillies fans after his struggles in the postseason for Philadelphia last year. He responded in kind with a scoreless ninth to slam the door.
Baltimore is 46-24 and avoided a third straight loss with the triumph. The Orioles are three games back of the American League East-leading New York Yankees (50-22), who play Saturday night versus the Boston Red Sox.
"It's a big loss."
On Kyle Bradish landing on the IL with a sprained UCL, what this could mean for his season and what the Orioles' rotation picture looks like moving forward: https://t.co/LnhDkhU8Xd
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) June 15, 2024
This story will be updated.
