Corbin Burnes pitched seven strong innings, allowing nine hits but just one run, as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the struggling Texas Rangers 11-2 on Thursday night. Rookie Heston Kjerstad started with a home run and three RBIs, while Cedric Mullins, Adley Rutschman, and Colton Cowser also hit homers for the Orioles.
They took an early 8-1 lead by the fourth inning against Jon Gray, securing their second consecutive win after a five-game losing streak.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde praised Burnes for setting the tone with his pitching and highlighted the team’s offensive performance against Gray, a formidable pitcher. Adolis Garcia homered for the Rangers, who have now lost four straight games and are struggling with a seven-game losing streak on the road, along with dropping eight consecutive road series openers.
Cedric Mullins celebrates with Colton CowserThe series between the Orioles and Rangers, which concludes on Sunday, is a rematch of last year’s AL Division Series. While Hyde acknowledged the significance of that postseason sweep, he emphasized that a regular-season series in June isn’t quite the same.
The Orioles, boasting a 51-30 record at the halfway point of the season, demonstrated their power hitting in this game, which is a key strength for them. Kjerstad’s two-run homer in the third inning was crucial, Mullins continued his hot streak with another home run, and Rutschman added a solo shot in the seventh inning against Jonathan Hernández.
