Angels hope to ‘turn the page quickly’ after second blowout loss to Orioles
Gunnar Henderson homered leading off the bottom of the first inning, then added a two-run triple in Baltimore’s nine-run sixth as the Orioles pounded the Angels for a second straight game, 13-4 on Saturday.
After winning 11-3 on opening day, Baltimore jumped ahead quickly in this one when Henderson hit a drive to right-center. The reigning American League Rookie of the Year had three hits and ended up a double shy of the cycle.
“I felt like I stuck with my approach — didn’t try to get too big,” Henderson said. “Laid off some good pitches, and put a good swing on the good ones.”
A generation that was supposed to have dismissed baseball has found its way back to it. Baseball isn’t dying, but it could have been. Its revival required a game plan.
Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer in the sixth for the Orioles. The first nine Baltimore batters that inning — an entire trip through the batting order — had come in to score by the time the Angels got an out.
Grayson Rodriguez (1-0) gave up a run and four hits in six innings and struck out nine.
Taylor Ward went deep for the Angels in the fourth and added an RBI single during the team’s three-run ninth. Griffin Canning (0-1) gave up five runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.
“All of us need to take a look at what we did tonight and learn from it,” Ward said. “And then turn the page quickly.”
The Orioles led 3-1 before breaking open the game in the sixth. Of the first nine hitters that inning, six had hits, two walked, and one reached on a fielder’s choice when shortstop Zach Neto made an error. After Santander’s three-run shot made it 12-1, the inning had included nine hitters, nine runs and no outs.
The previous team to have its first nine hitters in an inning all score was the Kansas City Royals in the first inning on Sept. 29, 2023, against the New York Yankees, according to Sportradar. Although in that game, the ninth run came home on a sacrifice fly that was the first out of the inning.
The previous time a team had its first nine batters cross the plate before the first out was Arizona’s fifth inning at Colorado on Sept. 9, 2022.
The Angels know it’ll be tough to overcome Shohei Ohtani’s absence, but Mike Trout is staying optimistic about the team’s playoff chances.
The triple was Henderson’s last plate appearance of the game. He was removed for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
“It’s early in the year. I get it,” Henderson said. “I get the decision.”
After Henderson put Baltimore ahead 1-0, Mountcastle added a one-out RBI double that just missed clearing the big wall in left field at Camden Yards.
In the third, Santander and Mountcastle hit consecutive doubles to make it 3-0.
Injury updates
Angels: Manager Ron Washington said pitcher Robert Stephenson (right shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen of about 20-25 pitches and is throwing another one Monday.
Orioles: Pitcher Cionel Pérez left the game in the ninth holding onto his right side with an apparent injury. ... Pitcher John Means (left forearm strain) is set to begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Norfolk.
Up next
The Orioles try for an opening sweep when they send Tyler Wells to the mound Sunday against Reid Detmers.
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