It Wasn’t Pretty, It Was A Win
The Baltimore Orioles‘ #19 prospect per MLB Pipeline, RHP Brandon Young, made his MLB debut on Saturday in front of 28,534 fans at Camden Yards. Young left with a 5-3 lead after 4.0 innings of work where he allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, including a Jake Fraley homerun in the second inning, while walking 3, striking out 3 and picking Jeimer Candelario off of first base in the second inning.
Cedric Mullins (1 for 3, HR, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB) and Gunnar Henderson (2 for 3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB) hit back-to-back homers to open the Baltimore first. Ramon Laureano (2 for 4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) hit the first of his two homeruns in the third inning to give the Orioles that 5-3 lead. Laureano was in the game because Heston Kjerstad was hit by a pitch on the right elbow in the first inning and subsequently left the game. Laureano’s second homer camin in a two-run Baltimore seventh.
Jordan Westburg (1 for 5, HR, R, RBI) homered and went back-to-back with Laureano in the seventh inning.
Ryan O’Hearn (1 for 4, RBI, HBP) and Tyler O’Neill (1 for 4, R, RBI, BB) both hit RBI-singles in the eighth inning to close out the Baltimore scoring.
Of note, Mullins is slashing .300/ .517/ .850 with 3 homeruns, 7 runs scored, 5 RBI and 9 walks over the past seven games.
Manager Brandon Hyde used seven relievers to cover the final five innings of the contest. Seranthony Dominguez (2-0) gave up a hit and struck out 1 in 1.0 inning of work and was credited with the win while Felix Bautista (1.0 IP, K) pitched the only clean inning out of the bullpen to earn his second save of the season.
Former Oriole, Austin Hays (2 for 5, HR, R, RBI) touched Matt Bowman (0.0 IP, R, 2 H, HR, BB) for a homerun to lead off the ninth.
2025 Record: 9-11
Next Game: Sun. 4/20 @ 1:35 pm vs. Cincinnati Reds