Rogers’ continued brilliance and Basallo’s 1st homer help Orioles end 5-game losing streak, 11-1 over Giants

SAN FRANCISCO–What happened? Trevor Rogers continued his dominance and the Orioles made his job easy with three home runs and an 11-run outburst.

Rogers allowed one run on five hits in seven innings as the Orioles broke a five-game losing streak with an 11-1 win over the San Francisco Giants before 37,711 at Oracle Park on Saturday.

The Orioles (61-75) hit three home runs, their most since July 29^th.

Rogers (8-2) allowed just his third home run in 14 starts, to Willy Adames with two outs in the first. He gave up four more singles and retired his last eight batters.

“That first inning, [Adames] did a really good job of getting that fastball up and in and you know kind of had to bear down and adjust the game plan,” Rogers said. “I think that’s what we’ve been doing a really good job with as the game progresses, seeing what the lineup’s attack plan is and adjusting accordingly.”

The 27-year-old left-hander struck out five without walking a batter, reducing his ERA to 1.39, the lowest in franchise history for a pitcher through 14 starts.

Rogers has pitched six or more innings while allowing one run or fewer in seven straight starts, the longest streak in team history.

Jeremiah Jackson hit his second home run in the third. Two batters later, Ryan Mountcastle hit his fifth, and Samuel Basallo hit his first major league home run leading off the fourth.

The 21-year-old Basallo is the youngest Oriole catcher to homer in franchise history.

“It was amazing. I’ve been working for that my whole life,” Basallo said. “It’s like when a dream come true, and you just feel amazing. Like, I don’t have words to explain how I feel right now, but it was good to get the first one.”

Basallo enjoyed working with Rogers, and the feeling is mutual.

“He’s doing everything good,” Basallo said. “When you have a pitcher like him doing what he’s doing right now, it’s just you feel more comfortable. Yeah, it’s just fun to catch.”

Rogers praised Basallo’s work.

“Sammy did another good job back there tonight,” Rogers said. “We were both working off each other really well. That was huge for us today, you know just adjusting the game plan as the game progressed.”

Jackson added a two-run double in the Orioles three-run eighth, giving him his first four-RBI game.

Jackson Holliday tripled to score Daniel Johnson in the three-run fourth. Holliday scored on Gunnar Henderson’s sacrifice fly.

Carson Seymour (0-2) started and allowed four runs in the three innings for the Giants (67-69), whose six-game winning streak was snapped.

Dylan Beavers’ RBI single scored Basallo in the seventh.

How has Basallo’s first two weeks in the big leagues been? Basallo continues to impress Mansolino.

“I told him, ‘Man, you had an aggressive day and a patient day all in one,’” Mansolino said. “It doesn’t have to be one or the other. We don’t have to go up there and take every pitch, and we don’t have to go up there and swing at every pitch.

“Good hitters, they know when to be aggressive, they know how to be patient. He did both. Called a one-runner, too, there behind the dish. Put down the right fingers and pressed the right buttons. To me that’s probably a bigger deal at this point in his career than hitting the homer in some ways, though I know it’s a milestone and a big one.”

What does it mean? Few outside of Baltimore have noticed Rogers’ excellence, and he’ll get another challenge, perhaps on Friday night when he’ll face Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

What’s the stat of the day? Basallo became the 23^rd different Oriole to homer, setting a club record.

What’s the word?  “You know this game can change in a moment’s notice so that’s where I’m really trying to do my best, you know just stay in the middle right now.”-Rogers on his consistency.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Jorge Mateo had three hits in what could have been his final rehab game before rejoining the Orioles on Monday as Triple-A Norfolk lost to Gwinnett, 8-3.

Juaron Watts-Brown allowed two runs on one hit in six innings, striking out seven in Double-A Chesapeake’s 3-1 loss to Reading.

Nate George drove in three runs and hit his first home run for High-A Aberdeen in its 8-3 win over Jersey Shore.

Ike Irish drove in two runs as Single-A Delmarva lost to Carolina, 3-2. 

What’s next? The Orioles and Giants conclude their three-game series on Sunday when Tomoyuki Sugano (10-6, 4.06) faces Justin Verlander (2-10, 4.47). Game time is 4:05 p.m.

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