BALTIMORE -- Moments after Orioles fans welcomed Adley Rutschman back to town with a rousing ovation, the All-Star catcher announced his return to the Red Sox’s lineup with authority, crushing a solo homer to right field.
For good measure, Rutschman added a second solo blast to right-center in his third at-bat of the night, coming in the top of the sixth inning.
Later in the game, there were other heroes, Nick Sogard foremost among them. The rapidly emerging infielder belted a go-ahead two-run homer with two outs against righty Yennier Cano in the eighth, lifting the Red Sox to a 6-5 victory in the opener of a four-game series at Camden Yards.
Eli White, starting in center field in place of the injured Ceddanne Rafaela (right quad soreness), doubled to right with two outs in the seventh. Isiah Kiner-Falefa squibbed one down the line in right for a game-tying RBI single.
But the story, clearly, was Rutschman, the first overall pick by the Orioles in the 2019 Draft.
After those two powerful swings, it was hard to believe his health had been a concern in recent days. A hyperextended right elbow forced him to miss two games in Miami last week.
Though the switch-hitter returned to play three games at Yankee Stadium last weekend, some recurring soreness forced him out of the lineup for the entire Red Sox-Mariners series at Fenway Park that took place Monday through Wednesday.
But Rutschman’s return on Thursday -- coming on the one-month anniversary of his trade from the Orioles to the Red Sox -- was well-timed.
Batting left-handed, Rutschman mauled a 1-1 changeup from O’s starter Brandon Young a Statcast-projected 377 feet to right. It would have been a homer in 26 of MLB’s 30 ballparks.
For his latter blast, which gave him his second multi-homer game of the season (the last one was against the Red Sox at Camden Yards on April 24), Rutschman smashed a first-pitch sinker from Young at an exit velocity of 103.6 mph and a projected distance of 389 feet. That one would have left every MLB ballpark.
The two homers by Rutschman were the only two hits for the Red Sox in the first six innings. But as has happened many times this summer, Boston came up clutch in the late innings.
For Rutschman to take such impactful swings in his return to action was significant, because he has struggled at the plate since joining the Red Sox, slashing .170/.254/.245 in his first 15 games and 59 at-bats with his new club.
On the 60th and 62nd at-bats, perhaps Rutschman made a statement that he’s ready to be a key member of the Boston lineup.
“I want to be in the lineup for every game,” said Rutschman prior to the game. “But it just kind of worked out that today, I’m feeling good and able to be back in there.”
Rutschman’s recent MRI showed swelling and bone bruising but no ligament damage.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy was pleased to be able to get Rutschman back into his lineup on Thursday.
“It's good,” Tracy said. “I mean, obviously here [in Baltimore, too]. I don't think it was strategic about being here. It's just a good sign that he showed improvement over the last couple of days and we can get him back in there.”