The Latest Breaking News from Kyle Stowers

SARASOTA, Fla. — Gunnar Henderson knows how dangerous Adley Rutschman can be with the game on the line.

BALTIMORE — Early Wednesday morning, sitting in the bowels of Camden Yards, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias admitted the Orioles’ strongest season since his arrival “crept up” on him and those on the field.

After a dropped foul fly by Adam Engel, the Orioles tied the score on a home run against Liam Hendriks in the ninth and won it in the 11th.

BALTIMORE — Based on his accomplished amateur and minor league career, it figured that when Adley Rutschman started hitting, he would do so in bunches. The evidence appears to be building.

This all could have been much different had the ball been a few feet to the right. It had plenty of distance — landing in the highest deck at Rogers Centre — but Teoscar Hernández turned back toward home plate rather than starting the trot of a grand slam.

For several seconds Monday night, right-hander Logan Gillaspie remained hunched over on the edge of the mound, hands on his knees and two more runs on the board. He had entered in the fifth inning with two runners on and the game still close.

BALTIMORE — Even as the Orioles came back before falling behind again late to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, the focus will be on that fourth inning, when left-hander John Means was last on the mound before an unceremonious departure that will drive worry throughout Baltimore.