Game 1: Rutschman, Jackson hit grand slams to back Bassitt’s strong performance in 10-3 win over Astros

BALTIMORE–What happened? Veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt hadn’t been happy with how the Oriole starters had been pitching and told them so in a meeting. Since then, the Orioles have gotten strong starts from Shane Baz and Bassitt himself.

On Thursday, the 37-year-old Bassitt pitched into the seventh, allowing one run, and Adley Rutschman and Jeremiah Jackson hit grand slams to power the Orioles to a 10-3 win over the Houston Astros in the first game of a doubleheader at Camden Yards.

Bassitt (2-2), whose previous season high was 5 1/3 innings, was lifted after he allowed three two-out singles in the seventh. He gave up a run on seven hits, all singles, walking one and striking out seven in his strongest start of the season.

“I’m not going to give you our secrets, but I think all of our starters have been pretty poor throughout the year, and I thought we kind of had a come-to-Jesus [moment] before Shane’s start and just had some talks, hard talks about kind of how we were pitching, our mindset of pitching,” Bassitt said. “And then Shane went out there and did his thing. I thought he was on the attack, and it was just — that’s how we want to be.”

Baz allowed a run on six hits in 5 2/3 innings in Tuesday night’s 5-3 win over the Astros. It also was his best start of the season.

“I think overall we’ve been too cute throughout the year and we didn’t do well,” Bassitt said. “So, it’s just, we have guys bullpen-wise, and obviously starters, that are way too good to be being cute out there.”

The Orioles improved to 15-15.

Rutschman hit his fourth home run, his third career grand slam, in the fifth against Steven Okert, who relieved starter Peter Lambert (1-2) two batters earlier.

He was sure that Houston centerfielder Brice Matthews had caught the ball, but instead of a spectacular catch, the ball fell into the Orioles’ bullpen after Matthews collided with the wall.

“I thought I was getting a run in on a sac fly, if not. So just trying to have a positive outlook, but worked out good,” Rutschman said.

The Orioles’ bullpen celebrated after the home run landed.

“I couldn’t tell if they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, he caught it, what a great catch,’ or he didn’t,” Rutschman said. “There was two ways it could have gone.”

Jackson hit his sixth home run and his second grand slam of the season in the seventh to give the Orioles a 10-1 lead. His previous grand slam came on April 13^th after he broke manager Craig Albernaz’s jaw with a line drive in an exciting comeback the Orioles won, 9-7.

It was the eighth time the Orioles hit multiple grand slams, the first since September 11^th, 2015 when Steve Clevenger and Nolan Reimold did it.

Jackson drove in the Orioles’ first run with a fourth-inning double. Dylan Beavers’ bases-loaded walk ahead of Jackson’s home run accounted for the sixth Orioles’ run.

Anthony Nunez allowed two unearned runs in the eighth.

How was the pitching different? It was just the Orioles’ seventh quality start of the season and Bassitt’s first. It was the first for the team since Dean Kremer allowed three runs in six innings on April 18^th, although Baz would have had one on Tuesday night if the Astros hadn’t produced two soft hits after two were out.

“It was a huge outing for us,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “Bass stepped up for us, stepped up for the boys. He was efficient with his pitches, he was unpredictable, he did a great job of landing all his pitches in the strike zone and also inducing chase with it, as well. Especially with the curveball. He did a great job of protecting the heater and kind of surprising guys there with two strikes.”

The Orioles have 10 relievers for the doubleheader, and Albernaz used Rico Garcia for one batter, Nunez for the eighth and Jose Espada, the 27^th man for the doubleheader, for the ninth.

Albernaz thought Rutschman’s home run was a game-breaker.

“That was a big hit for us to kind of get some score separation and allow Bassitt to kind of stay on the gas and keep throwing strikes and eat innings, and also eat some bullpen guys, too, as far as keeping some guys down and being able to be available for the next game,” he said.

What does it mean? The Orioles have played two solid games against Houston, and with a tough four-game series coming at Yankee Stadium beginning Friday night, these games have been important.

What’s the word? “I think our whole pitching staff has been just trending upward, just continuing to learn, improve, and just doing a great job. A lot of guys have been trending upward and doing a really good job, and Bass is definitely a leader when it comes to the pitching staff and this team, so his voice means a lot. Guys really take what he says and run with it.”-Rutschman on the Orioles’ pitching staff.  

What’s the stat of the day? 9. The Orioles have been at .500 nine times this season.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? The Orioles’ Florida Complex League team will begin play at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on Saturday. Admission and parking are free.

There are 20 home games and the season runs through July 23^rd.

Games will begin at 12 p.m. and at 10 a.m. on Saturdays.

What’s next? Brandon Young (2-0, 2.53) will start against Lance McCullers (1-2, 6.75) in the second game of the doubleheader.

Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com