Baltimore rallied to beat the Athletics 8-5 Sunday as Gunnar Henderson's three-run home run off Jeffrey Springs in the fifth inning -- his second long ball of the day -- gave the Orioles a lead they would not relinquish.
The Athletics jumped out to a 5-1 lead through three innings, getting two runs in the first on a Lawrence Butler double, one more in the second on a Jeff McNeil double, and two in the third on a Brian Serven two-run homer, while a Henderson solo shot in the first was the Orioles' lone run.
Baltimore began its climb back in the fourth, when Coby Mayo launched a three-run homer to pull the Orioles within 5-4. Then in the fifth, Henderson put Baltimore on top for good, connecting on a fly ball to right field off Springs with Alexander and Pete Alonso on base to make it 7-5. Henderson added an RBI triple in the eighth that scored Jackson Holliday for the final margin.
A day after not starting for only the second time all season for rest, Henderson finished 4-for-4 with two home runs, his 21st and 22nd of the season, five RBI and three runs scored.
"Today was outstanding," Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. "Great at-bats. The two home runs we'll always take, but the ability to hit the ball the other way, drive the ball to the opposite field gap, staying on the lefty, it was a lot to like today."
Springs absorbed the loss after allowing seven earned runs and three home runs in 4.2 innings.
Chris Bassitt (6-4, 4.97 ERA) earned the win despite allowing five earned runs in 5.2 innings and runs in each of the first three innings, and Yennier Cano closed it out with a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.
Alonso -- who was 1-for-2 with a walk to break an 0-for-13 streak -- was hit in the helmet with a high, hard pitch in the eighth, but appeared OK. He exited the game afterward, but that move was already planned as Holliday pinch-ran for him, Albernaz said.
"Pete was fine," Albernaz said. "He was typical Pete in the dugout. He'll be fine."
With the victory and series sweep against one of the worst teams in the American League, the Orioles improved to 68-69 and remain only one game back of the final American League wild-card spot after the Cleveland Guardians also won today.