Corbin Burnes pitched seven strong innings and the Baltimore Orioles used early offense and four home runs to beat the visiting Texas Rangers 11-2 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Heston Kjerstad, Cedric Mullins, Adley Rutschman and Colton Cowser homered for Baltimore, which won for the second night in a row following a season-worst five-game skid. With the win, the Orioles (.630) took over first place by percentage points over the slumping New York Yankees (.627) in the American League East.

Mullins finished with three hits and Gunnar Henderson, who scored two runs, joined the other three home run hitters with two hits apiece for the Orioles, who improved to 2-2 on their seven-game homestand.

This was the first meeting between the teams since Texas swept Baltimore in three games in last year's playoffs.

Adolis Garcia homered and Corey Seager, Leody Taveras, Jonah Heim and Josh Smith all had two hits for the Rangers, who have dropped four straight and nine of their last 13 games.

Burnes (9-3) was charged with one run on nine hits with five strikeouts without a walk, lowering his ERA to 2.28. On his way to securing his sixth victory in his last seven decisions, Burnes gave up three singles in the first inning, yet Texas didn't score.

Rangers starter Jon Gray (3-4), who threw six shutout innings in his last outing against Kansas City, was dinged for eight runs on nine hits in five innings.

Kjerstad's RBI single began the scoring in the first inning. Jordan Westburg followed with a two-run double.

In the third, Ryan Mountcastle's sacrifice fly was followed by Kjerstad's first home run of the season, a two-run shot.

Garcia's 15th long ball of the season came in the fourth inning. Mullins belted a two-run shot for the Orioles in the bottom of the frame, his ninth homer of the year and second in as many nights.

Rutschman led off the seventh with his 15th long ball, going deep off reliever Jonathan Hernandez for a 9-1 lead. Cowser's 11th home run came in the eighth off Brock Burke.

--Field Level Media