Adley Rutschman homers twice in return to Baltimore as Red Sox beat Orioles

Randy and Carol Rutschman were in the stands at Camden Yards for seemingly every big moment of their son’s Orioles career.

So it was only fitting that they were there to witness Adley Rutschman author another memorable moment in Baltimore — only this time as a member of the visiting Boston Red Sox.

In his first at-bat Thursday night, Rutschman jumped on a 77 mph curveball from former batterymate Brandon Young. His high-arching shot sailed onto the flag court for his 38th career Oriole Park home run.

Tears streamed down Carol’s face. Randy, who once pitched to Adley in the Home Run Derby, was emotional.

Five innings later, Adley did it again, launching a Young sinker into the right-field seats.

It was a night of juxtapositions for the Orioles (69-72), who suffered a frustrating 6-5 loss at the hands of Rutschman and the Red Sox one month after trading him to a division rival.

In August, Baltimore thought the five-player return for Rutschman and backup Jake Rogers too good to pass up at the deadline. Boston, riding a midsummer hot streak, saw a chance to add a three-time All-Star backstop and pounced.

Thus unceremoniously ended the Adley Rutschman Era, to the extent there was one.

The last five years weren’t as fruitful as anyone in Baltimore — from the front office to the players to the fans — had wished. Rutschman left Baltimore with just 69 career home runs, one Silver Slugger award and no playoff wins.

His time in Charm City was also much shorter than anyone could’ve expected. Since the franchise moved from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954, 58 players have appeared in more games than the 572 Rutschman spent in an Orioles uniform.

Rutschman won’t have a statue in Legends Park one day. He may never enter the Orioles Hall of Fame — though some have been enshrined with a plaque on Eutaw Street for lesser stints in this city.

But Rutschman’s return on a sticky August night hardly felt inconsequential. From the 30-some media members who crowded his locker before the game, to the barrage of hugs exchanged behind home plate, to the signs that littered the ballpark, to the mammoth homers and ecstatic parents.

“Lot of feelings going on. Different being over on this side,” Rutschman said before the game.

Thirty-one days after the trade, the Orioles can still salvage their season. Even with Thursday’s loss, Baltimore is within 1.5 games of the final wild-card spot in the American League.

Baltimore’s righty-heavy lineup wasted no time getting to Boston lefty Jake Bennett, answering Rutschman’s first-inning blast in the bottom half. Singles by Blaze Alexander and Coby Mayo and a flyout by Luis Robert Jr. set up a Pete Alonso sac fly to even the score.

In the fourth, Robert and Alonso went back-to-back off Bennett, giving the Orioles a 3-1 advantage.

Rutschman’s second blast of the night brought Boston within a run in the sixth, and two-out hits by Eli White and Isiah Kiner-Falefa tied the game at 3 in the seventh.

The final run robbed Young of the chance to pick up the win. The righty allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.

Rutschman reached again in the eighth, grounding into a fielder’s choice and moving to second on a throwing error by Alexander. He then scored on Nick Sogard’s backbreaking, two-run home run, pumping his fist while crossing the plate.

Roman Anthony provided some cushion in the ninth with a solo homer off Albert Suárez, which came in handy when Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a two-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth to make it 6-5.

Rutschman, who appeared in just his 16th game with the Red Sox, will have a chance to do more damage to his former squad over the next three games.