Orioles secure winning record as Grayson Rodriguez dominates White Sox in 9-0 victory – The Denver Post

During the dark days of the Orioles’ rebuild, the potential for bright nights such as Monday offered salvation.

There was rookie right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, long billed as Baltimore’s ace-to-be, fulfilling that promise. His six innings of dominance against the Chicago White Sox came with Adley Rutschman catching him and Gunnar Henderson backing him at shortstop, the pair of 2019 draftees each sparking an offensive rally. DL Hall — Rodriguez’s predecessor as an Orioles’ first-round pick, his successor as their top pitching prospect, and one of his closest friends in the organization — was among the three relievers who followed him to finish off a 9-0 victory against Chicago that secured Baltimore’s second straight winning season.

It’s the earliest by-game number the Orioles (82-49) have reached that status since 1997.

“It’s kind of indescribable,” Hall said. “It’s something that me, Grayson, [Jordan Westburg], Gunnar, all of us that have come up together, this is things that we were talking about at the [alternate] site in 2020. Like, ‘Man, I can’t wait till we’re all there together and playing good baseball and bringing winning back to Baltimore.’”

The quartet stewarded the Orioles’ hopes for much of a rebuild during which they finished with one of the majors’ five worst records in four straight seasons. But since the first of them arrived — Rutschman in May 2022 — Baltimore has not been swept, a streak that extended to 82 straight multi-game series with Monday’s victory. Henderson and Hall eventually joined Rutschman as the Orioles pushed for but fell short of a playoff berth last year.

Rodriguez, too, might have factored in if not for a right lat muscle strain that cost him three months. Instead, his debut was pushed into 2023, but his career began with a string of inconsistent outings. Through 10 major league starts, the 23-year-old had a 7.35 ERA, his fastball being hit hard and often. But Hall, who spent his climb up Baltimore’s system locked into a friendly competition with Rodriguez, said the version of Rodriguez the White Sox saw Monday is one he’s seen several times.

“He’s doing a great job,” Hall said. “Something that I knew all along that he would eventually get to.”

A return to Triple-A featured a return to form for Rodriguez, who entered this year regarded as one of the sport’s top pitching prospects. He has looked worthy of that status since rejoining Baltimore. Monday’s six scoreless frames featured a hit and walk apiece from a Chicago lineup that entered the day last in the big leagues in on-base percentage. In eight starts since returning to the majors, Rodriguez owns a 2.83 ERA, and opponents are batting .199 against him.

For a time Monday, it looked as if the White Sox (52-80) might hit .000. Rodriguez’s four-seam fastball, a pitch bludgeoned in his first major league stint, averaged above 99 mph through the first three frames as he blitzed through the Chicago order the first time through. He stretched it to 11 straight outs before Luis Robert Jr.’s deep double, but only a one-out walk in the sixth prevented an otherwise perfect start.

“Just pitching with a lot of confidence right now,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Grayson continues to get better. All of our guys have improved this year, our young guys, and it’s been fun to watch.”

Rodriguez pointed to his fastball command as an area he can continue to improve but was pleased with the strides taken in recent months. His four-seamer topped 100 mph five times Monday, leaving Rodriguez in fourth among starters in triple-digit pitches this year despite his time in the minors.

“It’s a lot better,” he said. “I think the first stint up here, there were a lot of fastballs right down the middle. Trying to eliminate that now, working both sides of the plate, up and down. At least we’re just kind of getting it close. That’s what we’re trying to do, and it’s something we’re going to spend a lot of time doing in the bullpen because as we come down the stretch here, it’s going to be pretty important.”

Between scoreless outings from Jacob Webb and Shintaro Fujinami, Hall retired all four batters he faced in his second shutout relief appearance since being recalled. Hall lacked his typical velocity earlier in the year, requiring a strengthening period at the Orioles’ Sarasota, Florida, complex, but its return positions him to be a key reliever for Baltimore down the stretch for a second straight year. He and Rodriguez combined to retire 22 of the 24 batters they faced with seven strikeouts, spending the days since Hall’s promotion Saturday savoring the possibility of pitching in the same game.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Rodriguez said. “Something we’ve talked about for a while. We were just joking about it just now, but having him back up here, it’s helping us both out a lot.”

The Orioles wasted a scoring opportunity to support Rodriguez in the second, placing runners on second and third with no outs and failing to score, but they capitalized on their next two opportunities. Rutschman singled to open the third, scoring along with Anthony Santander on Ryan O’Hearn’s bases-loaded single. The next frame, after Ryan McKenna walked and stole second, Rutschman advanced him to third with a deep flyball. With Henderson in the batter’s box, McKenna scored on a wild pitch, but Henderson started a two-out rally with a single, eventually scoring on an RBI knock from Ryan Mountcastle.

Baltimore broke the game open in the ninth on a two-run single from McKenna and a three-run blast from Santander, the latter coming on the 11th pitch of his at-bat. Santander’s home run was his 25th, making him the first Orioles switch-hitter to reach that benchmark in consecutive seasons since Eddie Murray in 1987-88.

With the Tampa Bay Rays off Monday, Baltimore’s victory extended its lead in the American League East to 2 1/2 games. 2023 marks the organization’s sixth winning season in the past quarter century.

With the Orioles’ young core, the potential exists for many more. But this group is focused on what the present can bring.

“We have a long way to go,” Hyde said. “But to have 82 wins up to this point, it’s a real credit to a lot of people in that clubhouse.”

Around the horn

• The Orioles are still without updates on All-Star closer Félix Bautista’s injured ulnar collateral ligament, Hyde said. Bautista briefly appeared in Baltimore’s clubhouse during the open media period before Monday’s game, but a team public relations staff member said he wasn’t available to speak. Bautista, who exited with two outs in Friday’s ninth inning, has yet to address his elbow injury with reporters.
• Outfielder Aaron Hicks (low back strain) took on-field batting practice Monday. Hyde said he’s been running and nearing a return to baseball activities.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Joan Jett & the Blackhearts attended Monday’s game, meeting Hyde and other Orioles staffers during batting practice. Jett, who spent an inning in the broadcast booth, attended middle and high school in Montgomery County and is an Orioles fan.

White Sox at Orioles

Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.

TV: MASN2

Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM

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