Jack Leiter pitched six solid innings with eight strikeouts and Jake Burger drove in a pair of runs as the Texas Rangers defeated the host Baltimore Orioles 5-2 to begin a three-game series Monday night.
Relievers Jakob Junis, Jalen Beeks and Tyler Alexander completed the combined seven-hitter with one inning apiece for the Rangers, who’ve won three straight since a season-opening loss at Philadelphia. Brandon Nimmo had two hits and scored two runs and Evan Carter also had two hits for Texas.
Gunnar Henderson’s solo home run and run-scoring single provided both of Baltimore’s runs. He entered the game 1-for-12 this season, but he was the only Oriole with more than one hit Monday. Adley Rutschman had a double.
Starter Chris Bassitt, making his debut with the Orioles, allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings. He logged 100 pitches and took the loss.
Leiter (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits and one walk in his first career appearance against the Orioles. The three Texas relievers allowed two singles without a walk.
The only extra-base hits for the Rangers, who stranded 12 runners on base, were doubles from Burger and Carter.
Both teams scored in the first inning, with Burger’s fielder’s choice grounder knocking in the first run. Henderson’s first homer of the season evened the score in the bottom of the inning.
Nimmo’s single drove in Carter in the second and Rangers tacked on runs on Burger’s single and Joc Pederson’s sacrifice fly. It marked the first run batted in for Pederson this season.
Henderson’s single in the fifth brought the Orioles to within 4-2.
Josh Smith’s single in the ninth stretched the Rangers’ edge to 5-2.
The Orioles have scored more than two runs in only one of four games this season. Baltimore tried to generate offense with a pair of pinch hitters Monday, but they both struck out in the ninth.
