This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Anthony Santander found their swing at the Texas Rangers’ home ballpark on Friday.
The Orioles’ trio of All-Star hitters will look to continue that success at Globe Life Field on Saturday night when Baltimore continues its three-game series against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas.
Henderson, Rutschman and Santander were among the Orioles’ five representatives at Tuesday’s All-Star festivities, hosted by the Rangers.
However, Baltimore’s top bats were not on display right away.
Henderson bowed out of Monday’s Home Run Derby after an underwhelming 11-homer output in the opening round. The following night, Henderson and Rutschman started for the American League in the Midsummer Classic, only for both to go 0-for-2. Santander, though, supplied a pinch-hit single in the fifth inning.
Finally, all three hitters were dialed in when the season resumed on Friday.
Henderson tied a career high with four hits, Rutschman hit a two-run homer, and Santander smacked a pair of long balls and matched his career best with five RBIs as the Orioles opened the second half of the season with a 9-1 win over Texas.
All of Baltimore’s runs on Friday came via the long ball, contrary to the team’s approach at the plate.
“We don’t try to hit homers,” Santander said. “We just try to look at really good pitches to hit and put a good swing on it.”
The thing is, that strategy produces plenty of home runs.
The Orioles lead the major leagues with 153 long balls, 13 more than the next-closest club (the New York Yankees). Henderson paces the team with 28, while Santander is up to 26. Rutschman’s 17 homers are good for third on the club.
“Those guys are playing great baseball,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said.
Among the trio, Santander has had the most success against Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer, who will start Saturday’s game.
The switch-hitting outfielder is 4-for-10 vs. Scherzer and has homered off of him twice.
Scherzer (1-2, 2.96 ERA) will make his sixth start this season for Texas and his first since Sunday, when he allowed a run on four hits during the Rangers’ 4-2 win at the Houston Astros.
The 39-year-old is 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 15 career starts against the Orioles. Scherzer surrendered two runs over 5 1/3 innings in a 2-1 loss at Baltimore on June 28.
Texas will dig in on Saturday against Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (11-4, 3.88 ERA), who is 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in two career regular-season starts against the Rangers.
Rodriguez, 24, has not pitched since last Saturday, when he allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings of the Orioles’ 6-1 home loss to the Yankees.
Texas will look to rebound at the plate on Saturday after managing two hits Friday night, neither of which came after the third inning.
The Rangers may be without a fully healthy Josh Smith, who was hit in the left hand with a fastball by Orioles left-hander Keegan Akin in the eighth inning. Smith leads Texas with an .854 OPS and has played in all but six of the Rangers’ 97 games this season.
“He would let us know (if he couldn’t play),” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “… Hopefully he’s fine. He’s been hit a couple times … you hate to see that.”
–Field Level Media
