Post-Game Notes: Orioles 7, Rangers 2

TEXAS has lost 5 straight games in Arlington dating back to 7/14, matching club’s longest losing-ever streak at Globe Life Field (3x, last 8/17-28/21)…has not had a home losing streak longer than 5 games since dropping 6 straight from 4/8-21/18 at the former Globe Life Park…remains winless against Baltimore this season (0-4), securing a loss in the season series between the 2 clubs for a 2nd straight year (3-4 in 2021).

JON GRAY suffered his 2nd loss in as many starts after recording wins in 3 straight appearances from 7/8-21…exited after just 1.1 innings pitched due to left side discomfort, the shortest start of his career and just the 2nd time he has failed to record at least 6 outs in a start (also 1.2 IP on 8/21/15 vs. NYM w/ COL)…permitted 4 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits, including a 1st-inning leadoff HR by Cedric Mullins that snuck just over the wall in left field.

COREY SEAGER belted a solo home run in the 7th inning for Texas’ 1st run of the game, his 1st action since leaving game on Thurs. at LAA with a lower right leg contusion…his team-high 24th HR this season are just 2 shy of matching his career high (26 in 2016)…20 of his 24 HR have come with the bases empty, as he entered tonight’s contest with the 4th-most solo HR among MLB batters in 2022: NYY’s Aaron Judge (26), HOU’s Yordan Alvarez/PHI’s Kyle Schwarber (20)…he is the 1st Ranger to hit 20+ solo HR in a single season since Joey Gallo in 2018 (26)…over his last 39 G (beg. 6/13), Seager is batting .299/.383/.604/.987 (43-144) with 12 HR, 28 RBI and nearly as many walks (18) as strikeouts (19).

NATHANIEL LOWE matched his season high with 3 hits (all singles), his team-best 30th multi-hit game of the season…has hits in 8 straight games to match the longest hit streak of his career (3x, last 4/14-22/22), batting .400 (12-30) over that span to raise his season BA from .269 to .280…has hits in each of last 10 G vs. Baltimore at .400 (16-40), and is a lifetime .322 (29-90) hitter in 23 career games against the O’s.

NICK SOLAK connected for a pinch-hit home run to open the bottom of the 8th inning, his 1st career pinch-hit HR and the 4th by a Ranger this season (last Brad Miller on 5/11 vs. KC)…marked his 1st home run for Texas since 4/21 at SEA, and his 1st extra-base hit since being recalled from Round Rock (AAA) on 7/17 for his 2nd stint in the big leagues this year (also Opening Day-5/18)…11 of his 16 hits and each of his 3 HR in 2022 have come vs. LHP…remained in the game at 2nd base, his 1st appearance as an infielder this season.

BALTIMORE improves to 52-51, moving back above .500 and already matching their win total from 2021 (52-110)…has gone 17-7 in last 24 G and 22-12 in last 34 G…is a perfect 4-0 against Texas in 2022…has a 2-2 record on this 6-game road trip to CIN (1-2) and TEX (1-0 + 2 G).

SPENSER WATKINS has gone 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA (7 ER/34.0 IP) in his last 6 starts since being recalled from Triple-A on 6/25...each of his 3 quality starts in 2022 have come since the recall…had been the only MLB pitcher without a HR allowed to a left-handed batter (min. 100 PA) before Seager took him deep in the 6th.

ADLEY RUTSCHMAN reached base a career-high 4 times, going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, one RBI, and walk…tied his career best with 3 hits (also 6/11 at KC)…Rutschman in last 12 G (beg. 7/16): .421/.531/.658/1.189 (16-38), HR, 6 2B, 5 RBI, 8 BB, 7 SO.

CEDRIC MULLINS reached base in each of his first 3 plate appearances (HR, RBI 1B, BB) and scored 3 runs…hit his 14th career leadoff home run and 3rd this season (others 6/7 vs. CHC and 7/26 vs. TB), as he has accounted for all 3 leadoff HRs by Orioles this season…broke a tie with 3 others and now stands alone in 2nd place in Orioles history with 14 leadoff HR, trailing only Brady Anderson (44)…the slicing drive traveled just 336 feet and would have been a home run in just 4 of 30 MLB ballparks according to Statcast.

MISCELLANEOUS: Texas has lost 6 straight games vs. A.L. East opponents, and is 5-12 (.294) in 17 G against the division this season…Terrin Vavra recorded his 1st career MLB hit with an infield single in the 2nd…Keegan Akin (3.0 IP, 1 R-ER) recorded his 2nd 3.0-inning save of the season (also 3.1 IP on 6/27 at SEA), becoming the 1st Orioles pitcher with multiple saves w/ 3.0+ IP since Mike Johnson in 1997 (also 2).