Adley Rutschman returned to Camden Yards Thursday night and put a dent in the Orioles' postseason hopes. Rutschman, now with the Red Sox, played his first game in Baltimore as a visiting player after being traded to Boston for a hefty prospect package at the deadline last month. The O's faithful gave him a standing ovation when he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat.
"It was special to feel that kind of love. It was really cool," Rutschman said about the ovation (via MLB.com). "Emotional moment and really special." The cheers stopped there.
Rutschman hit a home run in his first at-bat Thursday, then added another later in the game. Thanks in part to Rutschman's two home runs, the Red Sox erased an early 3-1 deficit and went on to win the game 6-5 (box score). It was Baltimore's third consecutive loss.
Rutschman is only the second player in baseball's Modern Era (since 1901) to hit two home runs in his first game against his former team after changing teams in that season, joining Willis Otanez. Otanez did it for the Blue Jays against the Orioles in 1999. "He knows the pitching staff extremely well," O's manager Craig Albernaz said (via MLB.com).
"He knows our game planning and prep side extremely well. And I'm imagining that he was juiced up for today, and rightfully so. With the ovation the crowd gave him, it was awesome, and obviously, it goes without being said, rightfully so.
I just wish those two balls hit off the wall." Thursday's two home runs were Rutschman's second and third with the Red Sox, and 10th and 11th of the season. It was his second two-homer game of the year. His first was with the Orioles against the Red Sox back on April 24.
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