BALTIMORE (AP) — Albert Suárez delivered another scoreless start for Baltimore, and Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson homered to lift the Orioles to a 4-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday and a split of their four-game series.
Suárez (6-4) briefly returned to the bullpen following the trade deadline, but an injury to Grayson Rodriguez means the Orioles need him in the rotation again. He's gone three consecutive starts — totaling 17 2/3 innings — without allowing a run, and after losing the first two anyway, Baltimore was able to close this one out.
Suárez allowed seven hits and struck out six with no walks in six innings. He fanned Tyler O'Neill on a full count after the first two batters had reached base in the fourth, and although two more reached in the sixth, the 34-year-old right-hander struck out three that inning.
Three relievers finished. Seranthony Domínguez came on with a three-run lead in the eighth and retired Romy Gonzalez on a bases-loaded popup. He allowed a one-out homer to Rob Refsnyder in the ninth but held on for his third save since being traded to the Orioles before the deadline.
The Orioles pulled within a half-game of the AL East-leading New York Yankees, who faced Detroit later Sunday.
Kutter Crawford (8-10) permitted three runs and two hits in 5 1/3 innings, a step in the right direction after he surrendered 26 runs in 24 innings over his previous five starts. Rutschman's solo homer opened the scoring. Then Baltimore put men on first and second with nobody out in the sixth.
Ryan O'Hearn hit a grounder to first, but when the Red Sox tried to turn a double play, shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela threw wildly to first for an error and a run came home.
Then Henderson greeted Bailey Horn with a two-run homer, his 33rd of the season.
Rafaela hit an RBI single in the eighth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: OF Colton Cowser was hit around the right wrist by a pitch in the sixth but remained in the game. It was a concerning moment for Baltimore, which recently lost All-Star 3B Jordan Westburg to a broken hand.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: Start a three-game series at Houston on Monday night. Tanner Houck (8-8) takes the mound for Boston.
Orioles: Play three games in New York against the Mets. Trevor Rogers (0-2) starts for Baltimore against David Peterson (7-1) on Monday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida releases his bat during his at-bat in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman, right, watches his home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Baltimore. Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Albert Suarez throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Norfolk Southern said Wednesday it has fired CEO Alan Shaw for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.
His ouster comes after two difficult years in the top job and just days after the company’s board announced it was investigating him for alleged ethical lapses.
The Atlanta-based railroad said Shaw had an inappropriate consensual relationship with Norfolk Southern's chief legal officer, who was also terminated. Norfolk Southern promoted Chief Financial Officer Mark George to be the railroad's next CEO.
Shaw was leading Norfolk Southern in February 2023 when one of its trains derailed, spilled toxic chemicals and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, the worst railroad disaster in the last decade. Then, activist investor Ancora Holdings tried to take control of the railroad earlier this year and fire Shaw.
He weathered congressional hearings and difficult community meetings after the East Palestine derailment, while promising to make Norfolk Southern the “gold standard for safety” in the industry. He also managed to persuade investors not to back the majority of Ancora’s board nominees. Three of its nominees did win seats on the railroad’s board, but that wasn’t enough to give it control.
The derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border prompted the nation to re-examine railroad safety and led lawmakers and regulators to call for reforms. But those proposals have largely stalled, and the industry has made only minimal changes since the derailment, such as installing more trackside detectors to spot overheating bearings like the one that caused the East Palestine crash.
The disappointing financial results Norfolk Southern delivered after the derailment, combined with questions about Shaw’s strategy of keeping more workers on hand during a downturn, made the railroad ripe for pressure from an investor like Ancora. Norfolk Southern's profits have consistently lagged behind the other major railroads that more aggressively adopted the lean operating model that has become the industry standard.
The railroad said Shaw’s firing was unrelated to Norfolk Southern’s financial performance, and the board reaffirmed its financial guidance. The railroad has said it expects to improve productivity by about $550 million and boost its profit margin over the next two years.
Shaw received $13.4 million compensation last year in his first full year as CEO. The railroad said earlier this year that Shaw would be entitled to nearly $9.6 million in retirement compensation if he left the company. It wasn’t immediately clear how being fired for cause will affect the $2.3 million severance pay Norfolk Southern had previously promised him. More details on his final compensation are expected to be disclosed Thursday.
The railroad's Chairman Claude Mongeau said, “The Board has full confidence in Mark and his ability to continue delivering on our commitments to shareholders and other stakeholders” despite having only worked on the railroad since 2019. Previously, George was CFO for air conditioning maker Carrier Corporation and Otis Elevator Company.
Mongeau said George will work with John Orr — the chief operating officer hired during its fight with Ancora — to continue improving the railroad's profits by cutting costs and getting more efficient.
“I look forward to my continued partnership with John and the entire (Norfolk Southern) team as we further our progress on optimizing operations and serving our customers, while creating a safe and satisfying workplace and delivering enhanced value for our employees, customers, shareholders, and communities,” George said in a statement.
Norfolk Southern is one of the six largest railroads in North America with tracks crisscrossing the Eastern United States.
FILE - Norfolk Southern Railroad CEO Alan Shaw speaks during an interview Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
