ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As much as the Orioles’ fanbase begged for him to join the club’s major league roster and has since pleaded to watch him every day, Adley Rutschman won’t catch every game. Baltimore’s roster construction will likely keep the face of the franchise from the designated hitter spot most times, as well.
But those days mean Rutschman can be a weapon off manager Brandon Hyde’s bench, as he proved Saturday in rocketing a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning to tie a game the Orioles went on to win, 6-4, over the Tampa Bay Rays. Rutschman also lofted a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th before Ryan Mountcastle hit a game-winning two-run single in the 11th.
The victory guarantees the Orioles (46-45), fresh off a 10-game winning streak, will finish the first half of the season with a record of .500 or better. It also snapped Baltimore’s streak of 10 straight losses at Tropicana Field.
