Standing O! Gunnar doubles twice in stellar home debut

BALTIMORE -- Before top Orioles prospect Gunnar Henderson became MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 ranked prospect overall, before he made his big league debut on Wednesday or his first Camden Yards appearance in Friday night’s 5-2 win over the Athletics, he got sage advice from then-Minor League teammate Tyler Nevin.

“Just be where your feet are.”

Henderson’s feet were everywhere in another series-opening win for the resurgent Orioles, who remained 1 1/2 games back of the Blue Jays -- 4-0 winners over the Pirates on Friday -- for the third American League Wild Card spot.

Henderson, a 2019 second-round Draft pick (No. 42 overall), doubled twice, scored once and became the first player in Orioles history to play three different positions in his first three Major League games. He also displayed his strong arm again to complete a game-ending double play.

And eventually, Henderson’s new teammates -- led by former farm system colleague Adley Rutschman’s pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk -- broke through with a three-run eighth inning to secure a victorious opening to a pivotal 10-game homestand.

“To be able to hit a slider down the right-field line and then backside a double the other way, I’m sure that was a great moment for him,” manager Brandon Hyde said of Henderson’s performance. “And then you see the arm strength at the end of the game on the double play.”

As Henderson navigated the tension between absorbing a once-in-a-lifetime moment and maintaining focus during the first meaningful September of Baltimore baseball in six seasons, it helped that so many in his dugout have carved the same path so recently.

Look no further than Rutschman, who with the home crowd roaring, was cool enough in just his 341st career plate appearance to take six pitches from Domingo Acevedo without swinging the bat, thus forcing across the go-ahead run.

“It was definitely tough,” Rutschman said of the sequence. “It got pretty loud there for a second, so it was a pretty cool moment. You’re just trying to think about your approach, your process, and stay within yourself.”

There was also right-hander Dean Kremer, who in his 33rd career start shook off a frustrating two-run fifth to complete a scoreless sixth for his fourth career quality start since the beginning of August.

And Henderson may not be the last highly touted Oriole to make his home or away debut before the season ends. MLB Pipeline’s overall No. 1 pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, pitched in a rehab outing for the first time in three months on Thursday at Single-A Aberdeen and he is set to go again early next week at Double-A Bowie.

“They’re not just coming up here to get at-bats and get evaluated, honestly, this is coming up here to help a team win. And being a part of this environment is only going to make them better going forward,” Hyde said. "I’m really happy with every young player we’ve had, and how they’ve contributed. And what they’ve been like in the clubhouse and how pro they’ve been. We’ve got a lot of high character guys.”

Henderson has shown no signs of a moment too big so far, clobbering a home run for his first MLB hit on Wednesday and spelling Jorge Mateo at short without a hitch on Thursday.

Henderson is now 4-for-10 on his nascent career, all the while recalling the advice of a teammate who ironically was one of the corresponding moves to bring him up from Triple-A Norfolk.

“‘Don’t try to look too far ahead or dwell on what was behind you.’ I felt like I’ve embraced that this year and really took it to heart,” Henderson said.