Kjerstad grand slam leads Orioles to 6-5 victory, Povich earns first major league win (updated)

Heston Kjerstad heard the crowd roar, looked up at the video board and locked eyes with himself. Unsure what to do, he smiled and pumped his fist. The fans had found him. They wanted to salute the rookie, but it’s much easier when he jogs back onto the field.

Kjerstad was confined to the dugout as the designated hitter. At least it kept him close to the hydration station.

The hoses were in demand after his grand slam.

The noise for Kjerstad lingered and he finally moved to the top step of the dugout and raised his cap in appreciation, his bases-filled blast off Michael Lorenzen in the bottom of the fifth inning lifting the Orioles to a 6-5 victory over the Rangers before an announced sellout crowd of 44,286 at Camden Yards.

They were down 2-1 in the fifth when Gunnar Henderson doubled, Ryan O’Hearn and Anthony Santander drew back-to-back walks with two outs and Kjerstad jumped on a cutter for the Orioles’ fifth slam of the season.

"The raw power is on another level," said manager Brandon Hyde.

Santander hit the Orioles’ 59^th home run in June to set the franchise record for any month. Henderson celebrated his 23^rd birthday with the double in the fifth that extended his on-base streak to 36 games.

Kjerstad’s first career slam made the Orioles only the third team in history with at least 60 home runs in a single month, joining the 2019 New York Yankees with 74 in August and the 2023 Atlanta Braves with 61 in June.

Nathaniel Lowe hit a two-run homer off Bryan Baker in the sixth to reduce the lead to 5-4, but Santander provided some insurance in the seventh with an automatic double that plated Adley Rutschman. It was needed after Adolis García homered off Jacob Webb in the eighth to cut the lead to 6-5.

Craig Kimbrel registered his 19^th save and 436^th of his career to take over sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list - after a leadoff walk and stolen base and a two-out walk put him in a major jam - and the Orioles improved to 53-30 with their fourth win in a row. They lead the Yankees by one game in the American League East.

Ryan Mountcastle had a pinch-hit single in the seventh and would have scored had Santander’s ball remained in play. Kjerstad drew an intentional walk with one out and the Orioles left the bases loaded.

Kjerstad reached four times, including a hit-by-pitch.

His total of major league curtain calls rose to one.

"It was awesome," he said. "Honestly, at first I didn't even know it was a curtain call or anything. There were a bunch of guys in the dugout yelling at me to hop out there, take my hat off. So that was really cool to be a part of that.

"I was putting in a piece of bubble gum and looked up at the board and I was like, 'We're up there.' And then all the guys started yelling and getting on me."

"We tried to do that," Santander said, "but I guess he didn't want it."

Hyde had fun with Kjerstad's delayed response.

"He was late with that curtain call. We've got to work on that," Hyde said.

"Early work tomorrow on the timing of curtain calls because that was five seconds too late. It lost its luster, I felt like. But I give the crowd credit for recognizing the moment. He just booted it in the dugout. It's 10 push-ups for that tomorrow."

The Orioles retrieved the ball for Kjerstad.

"Anytime you can come through for the team and put some runs on the board for our pitchers and push us to help win a game, that's huge," he said. "That's big time anytime you can do that for the team.

"I'm hitting well right now. I just want to keep it rolling and keep doing it. That's the type of player I am and that's the type of player I want to be when I come to the park, so that way I can help this team win and help this team for a playoff push down the road."

With so much uncertainty in the Orioles rotation, Hyde joked earlier today that his starters are written in pencil. Don’t bother pressing him. His patience remains high, but he’s running low on answers.

Corbin Burnes is on the paternity list. Dean Kremer appears to have finished his rehab assignment, but his return date isn’t confirmed and he’s waiting for Hyde to alert the media.

Cade Povich knows that his name won’t be scribbled in ink after five major league starts and with Hyde’s options set to expand, but he doesn’t want to give the club any reasons to draw a line through it.

Povich held the Rangers to a pair of solo home runs tonight in five innings and his ERA is down to 4.05. He allowed five hits, walked none and struck out three. Baker replaced him after 86 pitches, and the rookie sweated out his first major league victory.

"It's awesome, obviously," Povich said. "First major league win, but more importantly, a team win and continuing to just try to stack those together."

Corey Seager homered with one out in the first inning with the count full. The ball struck a flagpole above the out-of-town scoreboard to prevent it from touching down on Eutaw Street.

Derek Hill, who earlier made a sensational diving catch in center, homered with one out in the fifth to give Texas a 2-1 lead.

"Just a couple bad pitches, that's it," Hyde said. "Gave us a great chance to win and used all of his pitches well."

Seager was nailed on the left wrist by a 90.5 mph sinker in the fifth, went down in obvious pain and walked off the field with an athletic trainer. X-rays were negative and he’ll be re-evaluated Sunday.

Santander tied the game with his leadoff shot in the second, a fastball from Lorenzen traveling 440 feet to right-center field. Santander has 22 homers on the season and 13 this month to set the franchise record for June. He’s also accumulated the second-most in any month behind Jim Gentile’s 15 in August 1961.

"I didn't even think about it," Santander said. "I did talk with Gunny. Last year we got tied with 28, so coming into spring training we talked like, 'Hey, you know? We have to hit a lot of homers this year.' And we're doing a good job, so we're happy with that. We have to continue doing that."

Every longball seems to come with an explanation or notation.

"We're leading the league in homers because we have a ton of guys that have a ton of power, and good hitters on top of it," Hyde said. "Strong guys, they're young."

Yennier Cano retired the side in order in the seventh after his difficult outing last night, when he loaded the bases with two walks and a single.

"I really wanted to get him back out there after last night, and he absolutely delivered," Hyde said. "That was vintage Cano tonight."

Cionel Pérez stranded an inherited runner from Webb and one of his own in the eighth after Jonah Heim flied to the center field warning track.

Owner David Rubenstein climbed on top of the dugout again for the seventh inning stretch, this time wearing the Hawaiian shirt giveaway while tossing caps to the crowd. Cal Ripken Jr. sat in the front row.

Their team sits alone in first place.

"We had a tough road trip in Houston," Santander said. "We bounced back this week, and that was huge."

* Triple-A Norfolk’s Justin Armbruester tossed six scoreless innings with four hits, no walks and five strikeouts. His ERA is 8.36.

A scoreless game carried into the 11th before Anthony Servideo raced home on a wild pitch. Nolan Hoffman earned the win with 2 1/3 scoreless and hitless innings.

High-A Aberdeen third baseman Mac Horvath doubled and hit his seventh home run. Enrique Bradfield Jr. had two hits and three stolen bases to raise his total to 37. Reliever Edgar Portes allowed one run in five innings.

Juan Rojas tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings with two hits, no walks and seven strikeouts for Single-A Delmarva.