Baltimore beat Cincinnati 8-5 Saturday as the Orioles knocked starter Hunter Greene out in the fourth inning, scoring all eight of their runs against the Reds ace in the game's first four frames.
Samuel Basallo went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, while Pete Alonso reached base three times and drove in a run. Adley Rutschman, named to the American League All-Star team earlier in the day, added two doubles and two RBI, and Blaze Alexander contributed two RBI as the Orioles won their third straight and moved to six games below .500.
The Orioles (42-48) jumped on Greene, making his first start of the year, with three runs in the first inning, fell behind 4-3 after Cincinnati answered with three in the second, then put the game away with five runs in the fourth to push ahead 8-4. Greene took the loss, allowing eight earned runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings, though he struck out seven. Rhett Lowder and Julian Garcia kept Baltimore off the board over the final five innings for Cincinnati.
"Today was a really great test for our guys," Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. "Having a lead early, then giving it up, and then coming back and having the big inning was huge for us."
Brandon Young earned the win with five innings of work, allowing four earned runs on eight hits while striking out five. Tyler Wells closed it out with a scoreless ninth for the save, his second straight since closer Ryan Helsley went on the IL. Yennier Cano and Andrew Kittredge tossed scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, respectively.
"Without Helsley, we're trying to put these guys in the best spot to succeed," Albernaz said. "They went out there, threw strikes, and navigated some tough situations."
The O's will try to sweep the three-game series with the Reds and win four in a row for the first time this year tomorrow.