Austin Hays drove in three runs and the host Baltimore Orioles withstood a long game that included multiple delays to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 10-3 in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Adley Rutschman knocked in two runs, helping the Orioles win their third game in a row and improve to 5-2 in the past seven.
Despite three RBIs and three hits from Spencer Steer, the Reds dropped their third straight game following a 12-game winning streak. The outcome also snapped Cincinnati’s eight-game road winning streak.
The Orioles had the big offensive output despite collecting only two extra-base hits, both doubles. Baltimore had 12 hits in all and benefitted from nine walks and one hit batter.
Baltimore reliever Bruce Zimmermann (1-0) got the win, though he allowed two runs in three innings.
The Reds played in Baltimore for the first time since 2014. A weather-related delay pushed back the start of the game and then a longer break for rain took place in the bottom of the third inning.
When play resumed after 10 p.m. local time, the Orioles quickly stretched what had been a 2-1 lead with two more runs in the third. Jordan Westburg, an infielder making his major league debut, drove in Anthony Santander with a fielder’s choice grounder, and Luis Urias scored on Jonathan India’s throwing error on the play.
Westburg, 24, finished 1-for-4 with a run after his contract was purchased from Triple-A Norfolk before the game.
The Reds tagged Orioles starter Cole Irvin for a first-inning run. Kevin Newman led off the game with a double, went to third on India’s single and scored on Steer’s two-out single.
Baltimore went ahead in the second after Reds starter Brandon Williamson (1-1) retired the first two batters. He then issued three consecutive walks before Hays rapped a two-run single.
The Reds, who were coming off three one-run games vs. the Atlanta Braves, gave up three runs in the fifth. Steer’s two-run shot in the sixth, his 12th homer of the season, pulled Cincinnati within 7-3.
Hays had an RBI ground-rule double during Baltimore’s three-run seventh. The late rally came off right-hander Jake Wong, who was in his first big-league game.
–Field Level Media
