Gunnar leads off with homer, Orioles open series with 2-0 victory over Yankees

So how did things shake out in Baltimore? Rodriguez and three relievers combined to blank the Yankees in a 2-0 victory. Gunnar Henderson smacked a leadoff homer, the O's added a late insurance run on a error by a Gold Glover, and the bullpen held on to secure the first of a four game series.

Rodriguez and Yankee starter Clarke Schmidt were extremely effective for 5.2 innings. Fortunately for Baltimore, Henderson got the jump early on a hanging curveball. Henderson fouled off three consecutive pitches before sending a pitch 410 feet over the scoreboard in right field. At 112 MPH, the ball left in a hurry.

Ryan O'Hearn managed a one-out single, but Schmidt danced around it. Jordan Westburg singled in the second but was eventually nabbed trying to steal on Schmidt's first move.

The Orioles bats then went silent until the eighth inning.

Henderson reached base after taking a 94-MPH heater off his left forearm, and Adley Rutschman snapped the hitless streak with a base knock right up the middle. Henderson advanced to third on a fly to right by O'Hearn, and Anthony Santander stepped in with runners on the corners and two away. Yankee manager Aaron Boone summoned closer Clay Holmes to end the threat.

Santander—who looked completely lost during a strikeout in the sixth—grounded a ball to short for what should have produced the third out of the inning. Instead, Anthony Volpe booted the ball. Each runner reached base safely, and Henderson raced home for a significant insurance run.

Rodriguez struggled to command his fastball at times but had his changeup in working form. He retired Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo after walking Volpe in the third, and put away Volpe, Soto and Judge after a leadoff walk in the fifth.

Rodriguez walked Giancarlo Stanton with one away in the sixth and nearly surrendered a base hit to Austin Wells. Wells punched a ball that landed ahead of Santander in right, but Stanton originally retreated to first. Santander fired a strike to second base, and Henderson stretched to record a significant second out on a fielder's choice.

Gleyber Torres followed with a legitimate single to center, and Brandon Hyde pulled Rodriguez after 101 pitches. Hyde turned to freshly activated Cionel Pérez, and the lefty did not show any rust. Pérez retired Oswaldo Cabrera on a sharp grounder to first base.

Pérez returned for the seventh, allowed a bunt single, but retired two more via ground balls. Hyde summoned Yennier Cano to face Aaron Judge with one on and two away. Cano needed only one pitch to generate a harmless fly out to right.

Cano came back for the eighth and retired Rizzo, Stanton and Wells with a trio of grounders. Surprisingly, Hyde sent Cano back to the mound for the start of the ninth inning. Cano allowed a single to Torres, and Hyde went with Danny Coulombe in a save situation.

Coulombe, aiming for his first save since the night Baltimore lost Félix Bautista to injury, hardly seemed phased by the pressure. He retired Cabrera, Trent Grisham and Volpe to leave Soto on deck and end the game. The victory marked Coulombe's first three-out save.

The Orioles struggled at the plate for a majority of the game, but the arms won this one. It's difficult to image Cano or Kimbrel being available tomorrow, so a few more runs could be required with Dean Kremer set to face Nestor Cortes.

Poll

Who was the most Birdland player on April 29?

This poll is closed

• 42%

  Gunnar Henderson (Leadoff homer, scored both runs)

  (375 votes)

• 40%

  Grayson Rodriguez (5.2 innings, 0 R, 5 H, 3 K)

  (358 votes)

• 8%

  Yennier Cano (Appeared in three innings, 1 H, 0 R)

  (78 votes)

• 8%

  Danny Coulombe (Recorded the save with Kimbrel unavailable)

  (72 votes)

883 votes total Vote Now