The Baltimore Orioles, who have been tapping into some relatively new sources of production, will go for a sweep of the Texas Rangers on Sunday night.
The teams will finish their four-game series after Baltimore’s 6-5 victory Saturday night, when a grand slam from a young hitter and the first pitching victory for a rookie were among the memorable components.
Rookie Heston Kjerstad’s fifth-inning grand slam was a big post-game topic about 24 hours after manager Brandon Hyde was expressing pleasure with Colton Cowser’s impact at the plate.
The raw power is on another level,” Hyde said of Kjerstad.
The adoring home fans overwhelmed Kjerstad with their response.
“I’m hitting well right now,” said Kjerstad, 25, who is batting .269 for the season. “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.”
Meanwhile, Cade Povich secured his first pitching victory in the major leagues.
It’s not so rosy in the other clubhouse. The Rangers will try to shed a six-game losing streak a night after outhitting Baltimore 9-7, an advantage undone by Texas pitchers issuing seven walks.
