In a commanding performance on Saturday night, Grayson Rodriguez led the Baltimore Orioles to an 8-4 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Rodriguez struck out eight over six innings, securing his American League-best 12th win of the season. His stellar outing featured a stretch where he retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced, only allowing three hits and two runs during the second inning.
The Orioles’ offense was equally impressive, with Cedric Mullins, Jordan Westburg, and Ryan O’Hearn each hitting home runs.
Mullins’ homer marked his 10th of the season, making him the eighth Orioles player to reach double digits in home runs this year. Baltimore now boasts a league-leading 156 home runs, outpacing the New York Yankees by 16.
RELATED: A shocking Orioles-Phillies trade to boost Philadelphia’s outfield
The game took a decisive turn in the second inning when Baltimore scored four runs against Rangers’ pitcher Max Scherzer.
Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, left the game due to arm fatigue after just two innings.
The Orioles capitalized on his early exit, with Ramón Urías driving in two runs with a single, followed by another RBI single from Anthony Santander.
The Orioles added to their lead in the third inning with a home run from Mullins, and later, Westburg hit a two-run homer in the sixth. O’Hearn capped off the scoring with a solo shot in the ninth. The Rangers managed to score two runs in the second inning through a single by Andrew Knizner and another run in the eighth on an RBI double by Wyatt Langford.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde praised Rodriguez’s performance, noting his improvement as the game progressed. Rodriguez himself expressed a desire for a cleaner start but was pleased with his overall outing.
In roster news, the Orioles activated Heston Kjerstad from the seven-day concussion injured list, while the Rangers saw rehab appearances from Cody Bradford, Tyler Mahle, and Dane Dunning.
The series finale is set for Sunday, with Dean Kremer starting for Baltimore and Andrew Heaney for Texas.
