“Happy Gilmore 2” dropped Friday on Netflix. A day later, Baltimore Orioles catcher Alex Jackson practically recreated the franchise’s signature move with an eighth-inning home run against the Colorado Rockies.

When “Happy Gilmore” first hit the big screen in 1996, Adam Sandler’s character became synonymous with his unorthodox golf swing that saw the former hockey player take three steps and drive the ball more than 400 yards.

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It’s a comedy, one of Sandler’s best.

The Orioles’ 18-0 drubbing of the 27-win Rockies was laughable, too.

Jackson put the finishing touches on Baltimore’s blowout win Saturday night with two steps up the batter’s box and one big swing on a pitch from a position player.

His solo shot didn’t go more than 400 yards, of course. But it eclipsed 400 feet to center field.

Jackson was one of three Orioles to homer against the Rockies, a day after Baltimore dropped the series opener to the NL West bottom dwellers who have a -264 run differential this season.

Right fielder Tyler O’Neill, who was designated hitting Saturday, went yard for the second straight game. Then center fielder Cedric Mullins hit his 100th career big fly.

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Nine of the Orioles’ runs came in the seventh inning off Rockies relievers Zach Agnos and Nick Anderson. That frame, Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Coby Mayo both delivered two-run doubles.

As for Jackson’s dinger, he teed off on Colorado designated hitter-turned-pitcher Kyle Farmer.

It went down as his third homer of the season. The 29-year-old came into the night slashing .273/.273/.727 in the 11 games.

An injury-riddled Baltimore team, currently last in the AL East, acquired Jackson in a trade with the New York Yankees earlier this month. The Orioles have cycled through catchers this season. Most notably, two-time All-Star Adley Rutschman hasn’t played since June 19 because of a left oblique strain.

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Jackson is making the most of his opportunity. He shined under the lights Saturday against the Rockies with a swing reminiscent of the great Happy Gilmore.

Nick Kurtz belts record-tying four home runs

HOUSTON: Rookie Nick Kurtz tied major league records with four home runs and 19 total bases to pace the visiting Athletics to a 15-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday. Kurtz, who was 6-for-6 in the game after going 3-for-5 with two doubles in the Athletics’ series-opening win on Thursday, extended his lead among all rookies in homers by clubbing his 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd dingers en route to producing eight RBIs and six runs. Kurtz also leads all rookies in RBIs (59) and extra-base hits (43), and recorded the 20th four-homer game in history, the first by a rookie. His last long ball, in the ninth, came with outfielder Cooper Hummel on the mound for Houston. Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom also went deep for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (9-7) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. Astros rookie Ryan Gusto (6-4) was tagged for eight runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Rockies 6, Orioles 5

Ezequiel Tovar hit a tiebreaking eighth-inning home run as Colorado rallied from an early four-run deficit to defeat host Baltimore. Mickey Moniak and Thairo Estrada also homered, while Hunter Goodman and Jordan Beck each had two hits for the Rockies, who have a rare three-game winning streak. Jordan Westburg, Tyler O’Neill, Coby Mayo and Alex Jackson all hit solo home runs for the Orioles, who dropped to 2-6 since the All-Star break. Baltimore reliever Andrew Kittredge (1-2) took the loss while Colorado’s Jake Bird (4-1) got the win after surrendering the tying run in the seventh.

Phillies 12, Yankees 5

Kyle Schwarber homered twice and J.T. Realmuto hit a tiebreaking three-run blast in the seventh inning as visiting Philadelphia pulled away to win in New York. Schwarber hit his 35th and 36 home runs, belting a tying two-run shot off New York starter Will Warren in the fifth and a two-run drive off Ian Hamilton in the eighth for an 8-5 lead. His first hit was the 1,000th of his career. He has six home runs in seven games since the All-Star break. Cody Bellinger and Austin Wells hit solo homers off Philadelphia starter Taijuan Walker in the first two innings. Walker allowed three runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Dodgers 5, Red Sox 2

Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run home run to help Los Angeles beat host Boston in the opener of a three-game series. After Freddie Freeman singled to open the eighth inning, Hernandez homered against Boston reliever Jorge Alcala to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 5-2. Hernandez drove in three of Los Angeles’ five runs. Emmet Sheehan (2-1) pitched the first five innings for Los Angeles, surrendering two runs on three hits. The Dodgers’ bullpen provided four scoreless innings, including a scoreless ninth from Ben Casparius for his first save.

Marlins 5, Brewers 1

Otto Lopez had three hits and two RBIs to help visiting Miami defeat Milwaukee. Kyle Stowers homered and scored twice for the Marlins, who have won five of seven coming out of the All-Star break. Marlins starter Cal Quantrill allowed one run and three hits in five innings. Josh Simpson (2-0) pitched a scoreless sixth. Brewers starter Freddy Peralta allowed one run and five hits in five-plus innings. He struck out nine and walked two. Reliever Aaron Ashby (1-1) allowed the first of four Miami runs in the seventh. Jackson Chourio extended his hitting streak to 18 games by homering for the Brewers, who had won 12 of 13.

Diamondbacks 1, Pirates 0 (11 innings)

Eugenio Suarez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and three Arizona pitchers combined on a one-hitter to lead the Diamondbacks past host Pittsburgh. Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson threw six innings, permitting just Tommy Pham’s triple in the second inning. Anthony DeSclafani (1-1) followed with four sharp innings, and Kevin Ginkel pitched a perfect bottom of the 11th for his third save. Pittsburgh reliever Braxton Ashcraft (2-1) pitched a 1-2-3 10th inning but ran into trouble in the 11th. With runners on first and third and one out, automatic runner Corbin Carroll came home on Suarez’s sac fly to right.

Rangers 8, Braves 3

Jonah Heim homered and Sam Haggerty had an RBI double and scored a run to back a solid start by Nathan Eovaldi as Texas stayed hot with a win over sputtering Atlanta in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers won their fourth straight game and ninth in their past 11 outings while the Braves dropped their third consecutive contest. Eovaldi (8-2), returning after missing his last scheduled start because of a stiff back, gave up three hits in five scoreless innings. Atlanta’s Joey Wentz (2-2), making his second start since 2023, allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits over 4 1/3 innings.

Cardinals 3, Padres 0

Miles Mikolas and four St. Louis relievers combined to shut out visiting San Diego, giving the Cardinals wins in each of the first two games of a four-game series. Mikolas (6-7) scattered seven hits over five-plus innings. Steven Matz, Phil Maton, JoJo Romero and Ryan Helsley followed with one inning apiece. Helsley pitched around a single in the ninth to earn his 21st save. Padres starter Nick Pivetta (10-3) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in 6 1/3 innings as San Diego lost its fourth straight game. — Reuters

White Sox 12, Cubs 5

Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Austin Slater and Mike Tauchman homered and Adrian Houser pitched effectively into the seventh inning as the host White Sox routed the Cubs to open a three-game series between the Chicago neighbors. Winners of six of seven since the All-Star break, the White Sox collected 18 hits, including seven for extra bases. Each starter had at least one hit while all but one had an RBI in the opener of a three-game series. Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (7-4) matched the shortest outing of his major league career, surrendering seven runs and 12 hits in three-plus innings. Houser (6-2) allowed three runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Twins 1, Nationals 0

Zebby Matthews pitched six scoreless innings, Byron Buxton drove in the game’s lone run, and Minnesota held on to edge Washington in Minneapolis. Royce Lewis ripped a double for the only extra-base hit for the Twins, who won the series opener despite tallying only three hits. Buxton hit a fifth-inning sacrifice fly to produce the only run. Daylen Lile went 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base to lead Washington. Matthews (2-2) limited the Nationals to two hits, walked none and struck out seven. Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (4-10) gave up one run on one hit in five innings, but he struggled with command as he issued six walks and struck out four.

Blue Jays 6, Tigers 2

Bo Bichette had a two-run double during a four-run fifth as Toronto downed slumping Detroit. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. supplied two doubles, two runs and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who have won seven of eight games since the All-Star break. Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios (7-4) gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. Spencer Torkelson homered for the second time in as many days for the Tigers, who have lost five straight and 11 of their last 12. Detroit starter Keider Montero (4-3) was charged with six runs (five earned) and nine hits in four-plus innings.

Mets 8, Giants 1

Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto drove in two runs apiece, Francisco Lindor homered among three hits and scored three times, and New York opened a three-game series at San Francisco with a win. Clay Holmes (9-5) gave up one run on six hits in five innings as the Mets won their fifth game in a row. Huascar Brazoban, Rico Garcia and Jose Castillo combined for four scoreless innings of relief. Heliot Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee had a pair of hits each for the Giants, who have lost seven of nine. Logan Webb (9-8) yielded six runs on eight hits in four innings.

Angels 3, Mariners 2 (10 innings)

Zach Neto singled to drive in LaMonte Wade Jr. from second base with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Los Angeles a walk-off victory over Seattle in Anaheim, Calif. Neto produced the first walk-off hit of his career on his bobblehead giveaway night. He bounced a grounder on 1-0 sweeper by Mariners reliever Casey Legumina (4-5) just past the outstretched glove of diving Seattle second baseman Cole Young into shallow right field to drive in the game-winner. Julio Rodriguez hit two home runs for Seattle. He became the third player in Mariners’ history to have five or more multi-homer games before turning 25, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (14) and Alex Rodriguez (14).

Reds 7, Rays 2

Tyler Stephenson went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Cincinnati collected 14 hits en route to a win over visiting Tampa Bay. Nick Martinez (9-9) permitted two runs on four over five innings for the Reds, who have won two in a row after a three-game losing streak. Elly De La Cruz went 4-for-5, and Austin Hays finished 3-for-5. Zack Littell (8-8) gave up five runs on 10 hits in six innings as the Rays lost for the fourth time in five games. – Reuters

Jordan Westburg, Tyler O’Neill, Coby Mayo and Alex Jackson all blasted solo home runs within the first two innings of the Orioles’ series opener with the Rockies on July 25. That lead evaporated across the next three frames against Dean Kremer.

Jackson Holliday tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh inning. Then, Ezequiel Tovar crushed a go-ahead home run to put Colorado back in front for good.

Friday’s game encapsulated season-long inconsistencies for the Orioles and showed why they’re a seller at the trade deadline. They fell at home, 6-5, to the worst team in the league to move to 45-58.

“That’s a bitter one right there,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “It feels like here lately we’ve thrown up some good numbers early in games … and we just haven’t been able to hang on.”

Baltimore’s offense went 5-for-25 after the first two innings and only scored the one run after the second inning.

Despite hitting a homer, Mayo was pinch-hit in favor of All-Star Ryan O’Hearn with a runner on third in the eighth inning. O’Hearn struck out swinging.

Mansolino said before the game that potential trades will create more opportunities for prospects. One of those players is Mayo.

Mayo found his stride at the plate in the middle of June but has still had limited playing time. With O’Hearn not starting Friday — a likely sign of things to come with the trade deadline approaching — Mayo took the nod at first base and took advantage with a 413-foot blast to dead-center, his first in the majors off a non-position player.

But Mansolino ultimately elected to pinch-hit for him late in the game, continuing what’s been limited playing time with O’Hearn still on the roster.

Kremer, who entered the outing with a 2.00 ERA in his previous six starts, couldn’t find the same success against a club that traded one of its top hitters earlier in the day. He gave up a third-inning solo home run, a two-run blast in the next frame and a pair of RBI knocks in the fifth.

“All in all, didn’t do my job tonight,” Kremer said. “Guys gave me a lead and I blew it.”

The big blow came against Andrew Kittredge, whose role in the bullpen has increased importance after the move the Orioles made earlier in the day.

Baltimore’s first trade chip goes

The Orioles needed a near-perfect start to the second half of the season to avoid a sell-off. They did the opposite of that, and the first domino fell Friday. Gregory Soto was shipped to the Mets for a pair of pitching prospects, Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster.

Soto was a logical trade candidate given that he is a free agent at the end of the season. A former two-time All-Star, Soto endured an inconsistent tenure in Baltimore but still proved as a reliable specialized arm in the bullpen.

Soto pitched to a 3.96 ERA in 36.1 innings for the Orioles this season, averaging more than a strikeout per inning with one of the best barrel percentages (94th percentile) among all MLB pitchers.

The left-hander has been especially strong against same-handed hitters. Lefty bats are hitting just .138 with a .276 slugging percentage against Soto this year.

“It was up and down at times but he was getting lefties out, which is what he’s getting paid to do ultimately,” Mansolino said. “I thought Gregory did a great job.”

Aracena is the younger of the two pitchers Baltimore received. The 20-year-old hasn’t pitched above Low-A ball but has a power arm, with a 33.5 strikeout percentage this year. The right-hander holds a 37.4 percent whiff rate and batters have hit just .169 in 64.1 innings off him this season. He slots in as the Orioles’ No. 19 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Foster has slowly progressed through New York’s farm system since being taken in the 14th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. In 30.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season, the 26-year-old has a 2.97 ERA with 39 strikeouts.

Navigating the uncertainty

Soto was the first Oriole dealt around this year’s trade deadline. He won’t be the last, and Mansolino is aware of that.

Mansolino said before Baltimore’s series opener with the Rockies that his strategy toward handling the uncertainty of players’ immediate futures is by bringing it up to keep a free-feeling clubhouse.

“I think when there’s an elephant in the room, if you’re hiding from it, it’s not good,” he said. “As I talk about it with some of these guys, I feel like it kind of relieves the pressure in some ways. At least hopefully it does.”

After the Soto trade, the Orioles have six players with expiring contracts still on the roster — O’Hearn, Zach Eflin, Cedric Mullins, Charlie Morton, Seranthony Domínguez and Gary Sánchez. Sánchez is on the injured list and won’t be dealt. Everyone else is a candidate.

Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox

Colorado’s Ezequiel Tovar hit a tie-breaking eighth inning home run and the Rockies rallied from an early four-run deficit to defeat the host Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in Friday night’s series opener between two teams that have mostly struggled this year.

Mickey Moniak and Thairo Estrada also homered, while Hunter Goodman and Jordan Beck each had two hits for the Rockies, who have posted a three-game winning streak for only the third time this season.

Jordan Westburg, Tyler O’Neill, Coby Mayo and Alex Jackson all hit solo home runs for the Orioles, who dropped to 2-6 since the All-Star break. Jackson Holliday rapped three hits. Andrew Kittredge (1-2) took the loss.

Orioles’ starter Dean Kremer allowed five runs on six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Holliday’s two-out single for his third hit of the game tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh. Despite going up that run, Jake Bird (4-1) was the winning pitcher.

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland gave up solo home runs to four of the first nine batters he faced, but he was in line to be the winning pitcher when he exited the game.

Freeland worked six innings, surrendering seven hits and four runs. He struck out four with one walk, and was in line to be the winning pitcher when he departed.

Westburg’s 11th homer and O’Neill’s fourth came across a three-batter stretch in the first inning. It marked O’Neill’s second long ball since he returned from the injured list early this month.

Mayo led off the second inning with his second home run. Jackson’s homer later in the second marked his second home run in 11 games since joining the Orioles in early July.

Moniak’s homer with two outs in the third made it 4-1. Estrada’s two-run blast came in the fourth and closed Colorado’s deficit to 4-3.

Goodman’s double tied the score in the fifth and Beck followed with a go-ahead single.

Earlier in the day, the Rockies traded third baseman Ryan McMahon to the New York Yankees in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers.

–Field Level Media