This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Albert Suarez pitched six-plus innings of two-run ball, Austin Hays collected three hits on his birthday and the Baltimore Orioles did all their scoring early in a 3-2 victory over the host Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.
Yennier Cano stranded the potential tying run at third base in the eighth and Craig Kimbrel coasted through the ninth, helping the Orioles win for the seventh time in their last nine games.
Facing a team that had pitched shutouts in its last two games, the Orioles wasted no time ending the streak with a run in the top of the first. Gunnar Henderson, who had led off the game with a single against A’s starter Hogan Harris (1-3), scored the run on a two-out throwing error by A’s catcher Shea Langeliers.
Oakland’s Miguel Andujar homered on Suarez’s eighth pitch to draw the hosts even, before the Orioles added two more in the second to take the lead for good. Hays doubled home Jordan Westburg, who also had doubled, to make it 2-1, before eventually scoring himself when Adley Rutschman drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk.
Harris kept the deficit at 3-1 through five innings, pulled after having allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Langeliers made it a one-run game with his 16th homer of the season leading off the seventh, ending the night for Suarez (5-2). The right-hander was charged with two runs on four hits, with one walk and six strikeouts.
Attempting to win a fourth straight game, Oakland threatened to draw even in the eighth when Max Schuemann singled, stole second and advanced to third on a JJ Bleday infield out. But Cano struck out Andujar and retired Brent Rooker on a grounder to third.
Kimbrel needed just 10 pitches to complete a 1-2-3 ninth for his 22nd save.
Hays, who turned 29, finished with two doubles and a single, becoming just the third major-leaguer with three hits on his birthday this year. Matt Olson and Trea Turner had done it previously.
Andujar’s homer was his third of the season. Oakland’s two homers off Suarez doubled the pitcher’s total for the season.
–Field Level Media
