Two East Texas Major League Baseball Players Have Awesome Games

Grayson Rodriguez, who played his high school baseball at Central Heights, and Brandon Belt who was a Hudson Hornet, both had outstanding days for the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays, respectively.

Grayson Rodriguez

In a battle of the two teams tied for first place in the toughest division in the Major Leagues, Rodriguez stared down the Tampa Bay Rays and held them scoreless for five innings, as the Orioles built a 5-0 lead going into the sixth inning. Through those five innings, Grayson would give up just one hit and one walk.

Rodriguez got into some trouble in the sixth, giving up two runs before leaving the game with a 5-2 lead. He ended up pitching 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits, and striking out six.

Rodriguez has now started 15 games on the mound for the Orioles, and today's outing was one of his best. Grayson was in command for most of the game, and that put his team in position to come away with the victory and take over first place in the American League East.

Baltimore's bullpen allowed the Rays to tie the game before the Orioles got the winning run in the ninth, so Rodriguez wasn't credited with the win in the stat column. But, this was the reason that Grayson was called back up to the Majors...to give the Orioles yet another huge piece of the puzzle to make the playoffs and make a run for a World Series title.

Brandon Belt

Toronto also competes in the American League East. The Blue Jays currently sit in 3rd place behind the Rays and Orioles. After a slow start to the season, Brandon Belt has been one of the most consistent hitters for Toronto.

Today, Brandon hit a two-run homer which, at the time, gave the Blue Jays a 4-3 lead. Unfortunately for Belt and his teammates, Seattle would rally for a 9-8 victory. Belt's On Base Percentage of .372 is tops among the regular players for Toronto.