BALTIMORE — Rookie sensation Gunnar Henderson cranked a dramatic two-run homer to place the Orioles forward of the beleaguered Rockies with simply three outs to go on a muggy Friday night time at Camden Yards.
The residence crowd rose in anticipation because the AL’s finest nearer stepped to the hill.
Henderson’s twenty second homer of the yr off Rockies reliever Brent Suter had lifted the Orioles to a one-run lead earlier than All-Star right-hander Félix Bautista rapidly dispatched pinch-hitters Jurickson Profar and Harold Castro to return inside one out of his thirty fourth save.
But when Bautista fired a two-strike 102.3 mph fastball excessive and out of doors to pinch-hitter Michael Toglia, the right-hander spun round and stumbled a bit on the entrance of the mound.
Manager Brandon Hyde and head athletic coach Brian Ebel rapidly got here to the mound, and after a brief dialogue, Bautista left the sport.
Reliever Danny Coulombe struck out Toglia on the subsequent pitch to safe a 5-4 Orioles victory — their eightieth of the season — however everybody’s ideas postgame have been centered on the situation of their dominant nearer.
“Bautista left the sport with some arm discomfort,” Hyde stated postgame. “He continues to be being checked out. I’m not going to debate it any additional than that. We are going to get a bunch of exams and see how it’s.
“When the best closer in the game leaves the game, that’s never a good feeling. Hopefully he’s OK tomorrow.”
Down 4-3 within the backside of the eighth, Henderson received a maintain of a Suter slider and drilled the two-run blast over the right-field wall to push the Orioles’ result in three video games over the Rays for first place within the AL East.
“It was really awesome,” Henderson said. “I was really happy to be able to help the team come back and play like that. It’s what you dream of as a kid is to hit a homer like that. It was pretty cool.”
Added Hyde: “On an evening the place we did not have our greatest offensive strategy, I believed with Gunnar getting an enormous hit there, we wanted it.”
Bautista was final on the injured checklist late within the 2022 season with left knee discomfort, and he was coming off a 1-2-3 save Thursday night time in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jays.
“I just hope that it’s nothing serious,” Henderson said. “Hopefully it’s just like day to day. I don’t know what it was or any details or anything. I hope he’s OK and hope he gets better soon.”
“He’s been our nearer all yr,” stated starter Cole Irvin, who allowed 4 runs over six innings. “He’s been electrical for us. I do know the followers love us. You need one in every of your finest guys to nonetheless be pitching for you. Hopefully it is nothing adverse and perhaps simply wants somewhat little bit of time.
“[I] do not know what is going on to occur, do not know what to anticipate. Just praying for him. That’s the most important factor and all we are able to do proper now. He’s been enormous for us. Honestly, he’d have my Cy Young vote. He’s been that good. It’s been a ton of enjoyable to have him. Hopefully he comes again stable.”
Content Source: www.mlb.com