Gunnar Henderson’s fourth leadoff home run this season ignited a strong start for the Baltimore Orioles, propelling them to a 9-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. John Means delivered a solid pitching performance to support the Orioles’ early offensive surge.
Henderson’s home run, his 13th of the season, tied him with Houston’s Kyle Tucker and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani for the most in the majors.
Following Henderson’s homer, the Orioles capitalized on the momentum, with the next five batters reaching base against Bryce Miller (3-4). A throwing error by shortstop Dylan Moore allowed a run, and Colton Cowser’s two-run double down the right-field line extended the Orioles’ lead. Jordan Westburg’s sacrifice fly capped off the productive inning.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde praised the team’s quick start, emphasizing the importance of pitching with a lead.
In his previous encounter with Seattle, Means threw a no-hitter on May 5, 2021. In this game, however, Moore doubled on the first pitch and scored on a single by Mitch Garver. Despite the early run, Means settled into the game and delivered a strong performance, allowing just two runs on six hits over six innings.
Hyde praised Means for his effort, acknowledging that while his fastball command wasn’t at its best, his changeup and curveballs kept the Mariners guessing.
The Mariners found themselves trailing early in the game, with the Orioles capitalizing on Miller’s pitching before he could retire a Baltimore batter.
Despite a rough start, Miller managed to regroup and limit the Orioles’ offense until he was replaced in the sixth inning. A highlight was Rodríguez’s impressive catch in center field, denying Anthony Santander a home run.
With their win in the first game of the series, the Orioles extended their impressive streak of not being swept in regular-season series to 106 games. This streak ranks as the third-longest in MLB history, behind the St. Louis Cardinals from 1942-1944 and the Chicago Cubs from 1906-1909.
Baltimore secured their victory with a strong performance in the seventh inning, highlighted by triples from Mateo and Henderson, followed by RBI doubles from Rutschman and Hays.
