MLB report: Gunnar Henderson's slam helps Orioles rout Blue Jays

Rookie Gunnar Henderson extended his torrid hitting spree with his first career grand slam, one of four home runs launched by the Orioles in an 11-6 victory over the visiting Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

It was the fifth straight win for the surprising Orioles, who climbed 18 games over .500 (42-24) for the first time since 2016, when they last reached the playoffs. Tampa Bay, which leads second-place Baltimore in the AL East, is the only team in the majors with a better record.

Henderson hit .526 last week with three homers and six RBIs in five games. After a day off Monday, the 21-year-old came up with a suitable encore: He went 3-for-5, including a bases-loaded drive off Chris Bassitt that capped a six-run third inning.

Henderson has homered in three straight games, has 11 hits in his last four starts and is batting .246 after entering June at .201.

The Orioles banged out a season-high 17 hits, including two-run homers by Adam Frazier and Ryan O’Hearn, along with a solo shot by Aaron Hicks. Three of those drives came off Bassitt (7-5), who allowed eight runs and 11 hits in three innings.

Frazier’s second-inning home run put Baltimore up 2-1. O’Hearn connected in the third before Henderson drove a 1-and-0 pitch over the centerfield wall and into the Baltimore bullpen. The shot traveled an estimated 387 feet, impressive except when compared to the 462-foot blast he launched against Kansas City on Sunday.

Baltimore’s Dean Kremer (7-3) gave up two runs and eight hits in six innings.

Cavan Biggio homered for the Blue Jays, who fell to 0-4 against Baltimore this season.

Brown (6-3) scattered four hits across seven scoreless innings after losing two in a row.

Renfroe’s homer helped spoil the major league debut of Owen White, who was recalled from Double-A Frisco earlier in the day. White entered with one out in the fifth inning and gave up three runs on four hits.