Albert Suárez pitched a career-high seven innings, Emmanuel Rivera hit his first homer for Baltimore and drove in three runs, and the Orioles defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Friday night.
Rookie Jackson Holliday hit an RBI triple off the right-field wall in the ninth inning during his return to Coors Field, where his father, former Rockies star Matt Holliday, first taught him the game.
Holliday then scored by sliding headfirst when reliever Angel Chivilli fielded Austin Slater’s comebacker but threw it wide of catcher Jacob Stallings, resulting in an error.
Baltimore remains 1 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees and holds the top spot for the AL wild card.
“That was the start we needed, seven great innings,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
Suárez mentioned that he adjusted to the Rockies’ aggressive hitting by using his secondary pitches at crucial times.
Holliday also played a key role in limiting the Rockies’ scoring in the third inning by turning a sharp grounder from Brendan Rodgers into an inning-ending double play.
“They were aggressive with their swing, swinging on almost every pitch,” Suárez said. “I was able to establish the fastball, mix in the breaking balls. I think today my curveball was good. It helped me a lot.”
Rodgers hit a one-out homer in the bottom of the ninth off Seranthony Dominguez. Jake Cave got an infield single before Dominguez finished the game with a strikeout of Michael Toglia and a groundout by Stallings for his eighth save.
Suárez (7-4) was effective, giving up eight hits and two runs, both in the third inning, on RBI singles by Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle.
