Anthony Santander belted two of Baltimore’s four home runs Friday night as the Orioles returned from the All-Star break by thumping the Texas Rangers 9-1 in Arlington, Texas, to open a three-game series.
Adley Rutschman and Colton Cowser also homered for Baltimore, which has won two straight following a five-game slide. Gunnar Henderson went 4-for-5 with three runs as the Orioles won in their first game at Globe Life Field since their season-ending loss in Game 3 of last year’s American League Division Series.
Baltimore starter Corbin Burnes (10-4) limited Texas to one run on two hits over six innings. Burnes walked four and struck out six in his second outing in the Rangers’ home ballpark in four days. The right-hander pitched a scoreless first inning despite giving up a hit and a walk for the American League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Rutschman and Cowser both clubbed two-run homers in the first inning to propel the Orioles ahead 4-0. Santander connected on a two-run blast in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-1.
All three homers came against Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi (6-4), who surrendered those six runs on eight hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out two without walking a batter.
Santander put the game away in the seventh with his 26th home run of the season, a three-run blast on the first pitch he saw from Jonathan Hernandez to make it 9-1.
Marcus Semien’s two-out double in the third inning was the Rangers’ second and final hit of the game. Keegan Akin struck out three over two innings in relief of Burnes, and Burch Smith pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for Baltimore.
Nathaniel Lowe provided Texas’ run with his seventh homer of the season, a two-out shot off of Burnes in the second inning.
The Orioles’ first two batters of the game produced all the offense Baltimore would ultimately need. Henderson led off with a single before Rutschman roped a 1-2 splitter just over the wall in right-center for his 17th home run and a 2-0 lead.
Cowser connected on his 13th blast later in the inning, two batters after Ryan O’Hearn’s double.