Orioles fall to Angels after Grayson Rodriguez is hit hard – Beragampengetahuan

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Grayson Rodriguez’s stellar start to the season hit its first snag Tuesday night as the right-hander allowed seven runs in the Orioles’ 7-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Baltimore rallied late to get the tying run in the batter’s box but couldn’t complete the comeback, ending the club’s three-game winning streak.

Rodriguez, 24, allowed a career-high 11 hits, including a home run and five doubles, in 4 1/3 innings for his shortest outing of the campaign. The Angels hit him hard, registering 10 batted balls against him at exit velocities of 95 mph or faster. His seven runs allowed are his most in a start since May 26, 2023, the outing that preceded his last demotion to the minor leagues.

“Really just missing with the heater down the middle,” Rodriguez said after the game. “Trying to elevate to guys, obviously [center fielder Mike] Trout there in the first inning. Tried to go up with it. Just missed right down the middle, got hurt with it pretty bad. Just left a lot of pitches thigh high.”

It was an uncharacteristic outing for Rodriguez, who began the season strong with a 2.63 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over his first four starts. The Orioles were 4-0 in those outings with their former top pitching prospect appearing to be blossoming into a star. He still managed to pick up seven strikeouts Tuesday but left several pitches over the heart of the plate, including one to Trout, who, hitting leadoff for the first time since 2020, took him deep to start the night.

“Maybe just an off night for him,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He’s had a few good starts here to start the year. Tonight, the stuff was fine. Threw some good sliders to [third baseman Miguel] Sanó but had a tough time throwing the slider to anybody else. They were kind of backing up in the middle part of the plate, poorly executed fastball to Trout there to lead off the game. Didn’t command the pitches.”

The Orioles (15-8) fell behind 7-0 and didn’t collect their first base hit against Angels right-hander Griffin Canning, who entered the game with an 8.05 ERA, until the fourth inning. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season and catcher Adley Rutschman had three hits, but it wasn’t enough to dig the Orioles out of their early hole.

Right fielder Heston Kjerstad made his season debut after being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Second baseman Jackson Holliday ended a 1-for-31 slump with a single to right field off Canning in the fifth, helping third baseman Jordan Westburg get into scoring position before Henderson brought him home for the team’s first run with a sacrifice fly. Holliday later scored on a two-run double by first baseman Ryan O’Hearn.