Dwight Smith Jr., Pedro Severino Have Career Nights in Wild O’s Win

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Dwight Smith Jr. and Pedro Severino, hitting back-to-back in the O’s batting order, both had career nights on Tuesday night against Texas.

Tuesday’s Orioles-Rangers game was the blueprint for why baseball isn’t boring. We saw two teams from mid-level baseball markets put on a show, complete with 23 runs, a late-inning rally, and lots of excitement. Any baseball game can be intriguing, regardless of who is playing.

Baltimore prevailed 12-11 against Texas but not before their bullpen collapsed and allowed a 12-5 lead to evaporate. In the bottom of the ninth, the O’s had an error to start the inning, followed by two walks and three consecutive hits. Without recording an out, the Rangers fought back to make it 12-10. Moments later, another RBI single came about, leaving the Rangers down just one with one out. Then, thankfully, O’s manager Brandon Hyde brought on Mychal Givens to close the door, and he did, recording the final two outs in succession via strikeout.

This sequence was riveting, even though it was hard to watch as an O’s fan, but it wasn’t the story of the game. That goes to the O’s batting order, and specifically their No. 4 and No. 5 hitters — Dwight Smith Jr. and Pedro Severino.

Dwight Smith Jr. hit a three-run home run in the first inning and a bases-loaded double in the fourth to give him 6 RBI’s for the game, a career high. Before Tuesday, his career high was four RBI’s. Overall, Smith Jr. went 3-for-4, including a walk and two runs scored.

After Smith’s first-inning homer, Severino followed it up with a jack of his own, giving him six on the year. But he wasn’t done. In the seventh, Severino homered again, scoring Smith Jr., and in the top of the ninth, he hit another one. The three-dinger performance for Severino was his first-ever multi-HR game, and each one traveled more than 410 feet, according to ESPN.

Newly-acquired center fielder Keon Broxton also homered for Baltimore, his third jack since joining the O’s a few weeks ago.

Combined, the O’s banged out 15 hits, with five players recording multi-hit games — Hanser Alberto (4), Smith Jr. (3), Severino (3), Broxton (2), and Richie Martin (2).

Starting pitcher Dylan Bundy definitely got nervous as the ninth inning unfolded, but because Givens saved the game, his fifth of the year, he earned the win.

CATEGORY: MLB