Grayson Rodriguez and three relievers combined on a two-hitter and Anthony Santander smacked a three-run home run among his two hits to boost the Baltimore Orioles to a 9-0 win against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Monday.
American League East-leading Baltimore extended its division lead to 2 1/2 games over the idle Tampa Bay Rays.
The Orioles earned their AL-best 82nd victory of the season, one behind their win total from 2022. Baltimore has won eight of 10 overall, while the White Sox have lost eight of 12.
Ryan O’Hearn and Gunnar Henderson had two hits each for the Orioles.
Chicago managed just one hit in six innings against Rodriguez. Luis Robert Jr. doubled with two outs in the fourth to end a run of 11 straight White Sox retired to start the game.
Rodriguez (4-3) set down the next five White Sox before walking Korey Lee in the sixth, the only other baserunner he yielded. Rodriguez struck out six.
O’Hearn provided all the offense the Orioles needed with a two-run single to center in the third inning. After stranding three runners against White Sox starter Michael Kopech in the first two innings, the Orioles capitalized to take a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
Baltimore produced its third run behind small ball. Ryan McKenna walked with one out in the fourth, stole second base and advanced to third on a flyout to center field. McKenna scored on a Kopech wild pitch.
A single and walk preceded a Mountcastle RBI single that put the Orioles ahead 4-0. McKenna hit a two-run single in the eighth ahead of Santander’s homer.
Kopech needed 95 pitches to complete four innings. He fell to 5-12 after scattering four runs and seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Robert was 2-for-3 for the White Sox. Orioles relievers Jacob Webb, DL Hall and Shintaro Fujinami spaced one hit, one walk and two strikeouts in the final three innings.
Baltimore is assured of at least a split of the season series with Chicago. The visiting Orioles won two of three against the White Sox from April 14-16.
–Field Level Media
