Orioles fall to Angels, 7-4, after Grayson Rodriguez endures rough start
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.
Henderson tacked on another run in the seventh with a towering home run to right field. The ball left his bat at 109.4 mph and traveled 414 feet before landing in the seats just inside the foul pole. The Orioles’ shortstop has recorded at least one hit in four straight games and nine of his past 10 overall. Baltimore did get a chance to tie the game with two runners on and one out later in the frame, but Angels reliever Luis García retired outfielder Anthony Santander on a lineout to left-center field and struck out Cedric Mullins to end the threat.
“I don’t think we’re ever out of it,” O’Hearn said. “Down by seven kind of early and then the mentality is to kind of find a way to pass it back, creep back in and it’s a long game so you never know. I don’t think we’re ever out of any game.”
After struggling of late, Baltimore’s bullpen did well to keep the Orioles in the game. Right-hander Dillon Tate entered for Rodriguez in the fifth, stranded a runner and pitched a scoreless sixth. Fellow righties Keegan Akin and Yohan Ramírez got the Orioles through the eighth without allowing any runs.
“We did a nice job out of the ’pen,” Hyde said. “We brought the tying run to the plate too that one inning. Santander just missed one there when he flew out [with two runners on in the seventh]. But yeah, I thought we did a nice job battling back. Just a tough deficit to come back from.”
The Orioles entered the game in sole possession of first place in the American League East but fell back behind the New York Yankees, who they host for a four-game series next week. They will look to win their series with the Angels in the rubber match Wednesday afternoon when Dean Kremer is scheduled to take the mound opposite left-hander Tyler Anderson.
Orioles at Angels
Wednesday, 4:07 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM