BALTIMORE (AP) — Gunnar Henderson hit his eighth leadoff homer of the season, and three more Orioles also went deep off Zack Wheeler to help Baltimore beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-3 on Sunday.
The pitching matchup between Wheeler (8-4) and Corbin Burnes (8-2) didn’t live up to expectations, but it was still an eventful series finale before a third straight sellout crowd at Camden Yards. Phillies manager Rob Thomson was ejected in the top of the sixth, and soon after that, play paused for a few seconds on multiple occasions because of loud plane flyovers related to Baltimore’s Fleet Week celebration.
The Orioles took two of three against Philadelphia and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the AL East-leading New York Yankees. The Yankees host a three-game series with Baltimore starting Tuesday night.
Wheeler had never allowed more than three homers in a game, but the Orioles hit one in four of his five innings on the mound. In the bottom of the first, Henderson broke a tie with Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber — who went deep to start Friday night’s game — for the major league lead in leadoff homers. Then Colton Cowser hit a 443-foot shot with a man on in the second to make it 3-0.
“I think that Gunnar’s (nine-pitch) leadoff AB honestly kind of gave everyone else the blueprint,” Cowser said. “He was in zone. Gunnar was fouling off pitches and then got one in the heart and hit it out.”
Adley Rutschman added a solo homer in the third, and after the Phillies scored twice in the fifth to make it 4-2, Jordan Westburg’s three-run shot capped a four-run rally for Baltimore in the bottom of the inning.
Two errors by Baltimore’s infield allowed the Phillies to load the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Yennier Cano came on and struck out Edmundo Sosa for his third save.
Wheeler lasted just 4 1/3 innings and matched a career high with eight earned runs allowed. He hadn’t permitted that many since 2018.
“Just command really. All four of those (home run) pitches were right down the middle of the plate,” Thomson said. “And up a little bit. It’s just one of those days.”
Burnes, who edged Wheeler in a tight race for the 2021 National League Cy Young Award, faced plenty of traffic but made it through six innings for his 10th consecutive quality start. That’s the longest active streak in the majors. Burnes wasn’t available to talk to reporters after the game because of a personal matter.
Philadelphia’s Garrett Stubbs squared to bunt in the sixth, and when Burnes’ pitch bounced near the batter’s foot, Stubbs went to first. Umpires conferred and had Stubbs come back to continue his plate appearance. Thomson was then ejected during an animated argument with plate umpire Mike Estabrook.
The ballpark had a good view of Fleet Week air shows all weekend, but there was a brief period when the planes were particularly loud and players on the field stopped for a few seconds at a time.
Trainer’s Room
Phillies: Thomson said before the game Philadelphia expects to have star SS Trea Turner back Monday from a hamstring injury.
Orioles: RHP Dean Kremer (triceps) pitched 3 2/3 innings in a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Norfolk.
Up Next
Phillies: Philadelphia’s Christopher Sánchez (3-3) starts at home Monday night against San Diego’s Randy Vásquez (1-3).
Orioles: Burnes’ start Sunday means the Yankees don’t have to face him in this next series. Albert Suárez (3-0) takes the mound for Baltimore against Nestor Cortes (3-5) on Tuesday night.
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