Santander hits 2 HRs, Rodriguez throws 7 solid innings as O's beat Phillies
BALTIMORE (AP) - Anthony Santander homered twice and drove in four runs, and Grayson Rodriguez worked seven solid innings to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.
Rodriguez (8-2) allowed two runs for the Orioles, who rebounded after an 11-inning loss to Philadelphia in the series opener. Baltimore led 3-2 before Santander hit a two-run shot in the eighth. Gunnar Henderson added an RBI single later that inning.
Santander’s solo homer came in the fourth, and he put the Orioles up 3-2 with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly.
“I don’t know what’s happened, but I feel great when it’s hot,” said Santander, who has a major league-high eight home runs this month. “I’m from Venezuela, so that weather is always in 90, 95. I wish it can be hot the whole year.”
Edmundo Sosa hit a solo home run for the Phillies, who scored in each of the first two innings. Taijuan Walker (3-2) yielded three runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Alec Bohm, who doubled home two runs in the 11th the previous night, opened the scoring by slicing an RBI double to the gap in right-center field. Sosa’s homer made it 2-0.
Adley Rutschman hit a sacrifice fly in the third for the Orioles, and Santander’s 16th homer of the season tied it at 2.
Ryan Mountcastle led off the Baltimore sixth with a single, and with the runner moving on a 3-2 pitch, Ryan O’Hearn bounced a single to right. Santander followed with a flyball that easily scored Mountcastle from third.
Craig Kimbrel struggled for the Phillies in their seven-game loss to Arizona in last year’s NL Championship Series. He’s with the Orioles now, and the many Philadelphia fans who were part of Friday night’s sellout at Camden Yards gave him a rude welcome when he took the mound to pitch the ninth inning.
He worked the ninth again Saturday and received a similar reception. Kimbrel walked the leadoff man then struck out three in a row, although the four-run lead meant it wasn’t a save situation.
“A four-run lead with a three-batter minimum — for me that’s a save situation, especially against this club,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: OF Brandon Marsh (right hamstring strain) returned from the injured list and went 0 for 3. INF Weston Wilson was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish (right UCL sprain) went on the 15-day IL before the game. Baltimore recalled LHP Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk.
UP NEXT
The series concludes Sunday with a matchup of star right-handers: Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes (7-2) against Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (8-3).
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