CINCINNATI (Interstat) — Trevor Rogers pitched six shutout innings, Samuel Basallo hit a two-run home run and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Friday night at Great American Ball Park.

Rogers allowed three hits and three walks while striking out five to improve to 6-7. He worked out of a first-inning jam when the Reds put runners on the corners with one out, then struck out Eugenio Suárez and Noelvi Marte to end the threat. Rogers permitted only two baserunners to reach scoring position after the first inning.

Tyler Wells earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. Wells allowed one hit and struck out one.

Brady Singer took the loss for Cincinnati, falling to 3-8. Singer allowed three runs on three hits over five innings, striking out six and walking three. He retired the first two batters of the third inning before Basallo’s homer turned a one-run lead into a three-run advantage.

The Orioles scored first in the top of the first inning without a hit. Gunnar Henderson drew a leadoff walk. Adley Rutschman struck out, but Taylor Ward singled to right field, sending Henderson to second. Pete Alonso struck out looking, but during the at-bat, Henderson stole third base and Ward stole second. The throw from catcher Tyler Stephenson sailed into center field, allowing Henderson to score and Ward to advance to third. Stephenson was charged with a throwing error on the play. Samuel Basallo walked to put runners on the corners, but Dylan Beavers flied out to end the inning.

Baltimore extended its lead in the third inning. Rutschman led off with a ground-rule double to right field, his 16th double of the season. Taylor Ward walked. Pete Alonso grounded into a double play, shortstop Elly De La Cruz to second baseman Edwin Arroyo to first baseman Spencer Steer, with Rutschman moving to third and Ward out at second. Basallo then crushed a 1-0 pitch from Singer to left-center field for his 13th home run of the season, a two-run shot that made the score 3-0.

The Reds mounted a threat in the fifth inning. De La Cruz singled with one out, but Sal Stewart lined out sharply to shortstop Henderson. Spencer Steer walked to put runners on first and second, but Eugenio Suárez lined out to left fielder Taylor Ward to end the inning.

Cincinnati loaded the bases in the sixth inning. With one out, JJ Bleday singled. Stephenson flied out, but pinch-hitter TJ Friedl walked to put runners on first and second. Edwin Arroyo popped out to first baseman Alonso in foul territory to end the inning.

Rogers exited after six innings having thrown 97 pitches. Reliever Yennier Cano pitched a perfect seventh inning, striking out De La Cruz. Kaleb Ort worked a scoreless eighth inning, allowing a single to Marte but stranding him.

Wells retired the side in order in the ninth inning. Friedl struck out swinging. Arroyo grounded out to first base. De La Cruz grounded out to first base to end the game.

The only other scoring opportunity for Baltimore came in the sixth inning. With one out, Alonso singled sharply to left field, but Basallo grounded into a double play to erase the baserunner.

Both teams finished with four hits. The Orioles drew six walks and stole two bases. The Reds drew four walks but left eight runners on base.

Baltimore improved to 41-48 with the victory. Cincinnati fell to 40-47.

Basallo’s home run was the decisive moment of the game. It came after the Reds had turned a double play to seemingly escape the inning with only one run scored. Basallo drove a 1-0 pitch deep to left-center field, giving the Orioles a comfortable cushion and quieting the announced crowd of 22,157.

The game lasted 2 hours 29 minutes.

Baltimore had lost six of its previous seven games before Friday, including three straight at home to the Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals. The Orioles had scored three runs or fewer in four of those seven contests.

Cincinnati came into the game having lost four of its previous five games, including a three-game series defeat at Milwaukee. The Reds had been shut out three times this season entering Friday.

Chase Petty threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief for Cincinnati, allowing no hits. Caleb Ferguson pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one. Julian Garcia recorded the final two outs of the ninth inning.

Noelvi Marte went 1 for 4 with a single. JJ Bleday went 1 for 4. De La Cruz went 1 for 3 with two walks. Spencer Steer went 1 for 3 with a walk.

For Baltimore, Rutschman went 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Ward went 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. Henderson walked three times and stole a base. Alonso went 1 for 4.

The series continues Saturday with the second game of the three-game set. The Orioles will send right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to the mound against Reds right-hander Andrew Abbott.

Baltimore opens a six-game homestand after the series, hosting the Chicago Cubs for three games and the Kansas City Royals for three games before the All-Star break.

Cincinnati returns home to face the Philadelphia Phillies for three games next week before a series against the Chicago Cubs.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Baltimore 4, Cincinnati 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cincinnati with a 51.60 percent probability to win. Baltimore had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over/under line of 10.