BALTIMORE -- Anthony Santander powered the Orioles to a 6-2 victory over the Phillies at Camden Yards on Saturday, smashing two home runs, including a crucial two-run blast in the eighth inning to provide insurance.
Grayson Rodriguez was stellar on the mound, limiting the Phillies to two runs on seven hits over seven strong innings, marking his longest outing since mid-September 2023.
Alec Bohm extended his hot streak from the previous night, doubling to left-center in the first inning to drive in Bryce Harper and give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead. Edmundo Sosa followed with a solo home run in the second, but the Phillies' offense was stifled from then on.
Santander's first home run, a solo shot in the fourth, tied the game at 2-2. He then drove in Ryan Mountcastle with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, putting the Orioles ahead with what proved to be the winning run. His two-run homer in the eighth capped a three-run inning, sealing the victory.
Taijuan Walker allowed three runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings, throwing 55 of his 92 pitches for strikes. Despite a decent performance, his velocity was down, and he struggled with the command of his splitter.
"I need to find my splitter and get it back," Walker said. "All my other pitches have been really good, but I'm giving up a lot of hard hits with the splitter."
Gunnar Henderson contributed two singles for Baltimore, marking his 21st multi-hit game of the season. The victory also marked the Orioles' 20th comeback win of the season, underscoring their resilience.
"They can hit, there's power, they get on base, they are well-balanced, and a talented team," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Friday before the series opener.
Brandon Marsh returned to Philadelphia's lineup after dealing with a hamstring strain, finishing 0-for-3 with a walk. Jose Ruiz struggled in relief, giving up three runs on five hits over 1 1/3 innings.
The two teams will conclude their three-game set on Sunday, with Zack Wheeler facing Corbin Burnes. Both pitchers have been outstanding this year, with Wheeler posting an 8-3 record and a 2.16 ERA, while Burnes is 7-2 with a 2.08 ERA.
"It's going to be fun," Thomson said. "These have been a great two days here with electric atmospheres, so we'll be ready to go."
