Ramon Laureano hits 2 of O’s 5 HRs in pounding of Reds

Ramon Laureano homered twice Saturday in a game he wasn’t expected to be so involved in as the Baltimore Orioles beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 9-5.

Cedric Mullins, Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg also homered as the Orioles evened the series at one game apiece. Ramon Urias added two hits.

Laureano’s homers came in the third inning with a runner on base and in seventh for a solo shot. He might have been in the game at all if not for Heston Kjerstad departing after he was hit by a pitch on the elbow in the first inning.

Jake Fraley and Austin Hays homered and TJ Friedl went 4-for-4 for the Reds, who lost for the third time in their last eight games.

It was a short outing for Reds ace Hunter Greene (2-2), who was done after allowing five runs in three innings.

So at least Baltimore’s Brandon Young, a right-hander making his major league debut, lasted longer. He worked four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Seranthony Dominguez (2-0), the fourth of eight Baltimore pitchers, was awarded the victory. Felix Bautista notched his second save, coming in after the Reds threatened in the ninth and recording the last three outs.

Gavin Lux and Hays, an ex-Oriole, had two hits for Cincinnati. The Reds scored first on Lux’s two-out single in the first.

Baltimore’s first two batters hit homers with Mullins and Henderson going deep. It was a stunning beginning for Greene, who entered the day with a string of 18-plus scoreless innings.

Cincinnati went ahead in the second, tying the game on Fraley’s homer and going ahead on Friedl’s double.

Young allowed seven hits across the first two innings.

Henderson’s double tied the game at 3 in the bottom of the second before Laureano’s two-run long ball gave the Orioles the lead for keeps.

The Orioles scored two in the seventh and two in the eighth — all off reliever Carson Spiers — to build a 9-4 edge before Hays homered in the ninth.

–Field Level Media