Baltimore Orioles down Seattle Mariners in series opener

SEATTLE: Baltimore Orioles defeated hosts Seattle Mariners, courtesy of Tomoyuki Sugano, who pitched seven strong innings and closed the victory 5-1 in the opening match of the three-game series here at the T-Mobile Park on Tuesday.

Sugano delivered one of his best performances of the season, allowing just one run, five hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

He, however, allowed Rowdy Tellez to hit a 404-foot home run to right field to briefly tie the game at 1-1.

Orioles started scoring in the first innings as Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Ryan O’Hearn struck together one-out singles before Ramon Urias brought home a run with a sacrifice fly.

The Orioles managed to reclaim the lead in the fifth on another RBI single from O’Hearn, who ended with two hits.

George Kirby got injured at the end of the innings as Urias lined a ball to his face but Kirby fortunately got his hand up just in time to deflect the ball, which then caromed to first baseman Tellez for the final out.

Kirby left the game bleeding from the mouth but shared he was 'all right' after the game.

The Orioles added two more in the ninth. Coby Mayo singled and Heston Kjerstad doubled him home, Jackson Holliday followed with an RBI single.

The two teams will now face each other in the second match of the series on Wednesday at the same venue.