Gunnar Henderson Celebrates Milestone as Orioles Defeat Padres 7-3

BALTIMORE (AP) — In a standout performance, Gunnar Henderson celebrated his 100th career home run during a three-hit game, propelling the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night. This win marks the Orioles' fifth consecutive triumph.

Henderson's milestone was highlighted by a solo home run that traveled 386 feet in the fourth inning, tying him with Cal Ripken Jr. for the most home runs hit by an Oriole before the age of 25. He now sits behind only Boog Powell (127), Manny Machado (121), and Eddie Murray (111) on the franchise's all-time list.

Starting pitcher Shane Baz (4-6) delivered a solid five-inning outing, giving up six hits and three runs, two of which were earned. The Orioles' bullpen, featuring Anthony Nunez, Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano, and Andrew Kittredge, was impressive, allowing just one hit over four scoreless innings.

Baltimore made an early mark, scoring three runs in both the first and second innings. Samuel Basallo contributed significantly with a two-run homer in the first, while Jackson Holliday and Adley Rutschman added sacrifice flies. Pete Alonso also made an impact with a two-run single, and Tyler O'Neill recorded two hits.

For the Padres, Gavin Sheets delivered a two-run double in the first inning, and Fernando Tatis Jr. followed with an RBI single in the second. However, despite having opportunities, San Diego struggled with runners in scoring position, finishing 4 for 14 and leaving eight men on base.

Griffin Canning (0-5) faced challenges on the mound, yielding six hits and seven runs over five innings while striking out six and walking five.

Looking ahead, the Orioles are set to start RHP Trey Gibson (1-1, 4.24 ERA) against Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (5-4, 3.63) on Saturday.