Former Oriole Adley Rutschman hit two homers against his old team for the Red Sox in a win at Baltimore on Thursday night. (AP photo)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Adley Rutschman had only positive things to say about his former teammates.

Then he delivered a blow to their postseason hopes.

Rutschman homered twice in his return to Camden Yards, hitting solo shots in the first and sixth innings for the Boston Red Sox in a 6-5 win over Baltimore on Thursday night. The loss left the Orioles 1 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot in the American League.

“That’s a heck of a way to make a return,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “That was awesome.”

Rutschman received a standing ovation from the crowd — and from the Baltimore dugout — when he came to the plate with two outs in the first. Then he slugged a 1-1 pitch from Brandon Young over the wall in right field. It was the All-Star catcher’s 10th homer of the season and second since being traded from the Orioles to the Red Sox in early August. He added another homer in the sixth to cut Baltimore’s lead to 3-2.

Nick Sogard’s two-run shot in the eighth broke a 3-all tie. Baltimore led 3-1 after consecutive fourth-inning homers by Luis Robert Jr. and Pete Alonso, but the Orioles had just two hits after that.

Luis De León (0-2) took the loss. One of Baltimore’s top pitching prospects, he was called up earlier in the week, and both his appearances have been in the late innings with the game tied. He lost each time.

After a leadoff single by pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones, Rutschman hit a grounder to third. Jones slid hard into to second to break up a double play, and after De León struck out Wilyer Abreu, Yennier Cano came on.

Sogard hit a drive to right-center field for just his fourth homer of the year and only the second allowed by Cano in 61 appearances.

Roman Anthony added a solo homer in the ninth to make it 6-3.

Erik Miller (4-0) won in relief, and Aroldis Chapman held on for his 31st save in 33 chances despite allowing a two-run homer to Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the ninth.

Rutschman also received a video tribute between the first and second innings, and he got another big ovation despite having already done some damage offensively for his new team.

“All of it was special, a true testament to them as an organization,” Rutschman said after the game. “They do it right.”

Rutschman hit two homers for the Orioles against Boston on April 24. He’s the first major league player to have a multihomer game on both sides of the same matchup in the same season, according to OptaSTATS.

Rutschman has battled elbow issues of late, but he was back in the lineup after missing the previous three games. He’s only batting .193 since the trade, but perhaps this is the start of a more productive stretch run.

Baltimore drafted Rutschman No. 1 overall in 2019. His arrival in the major leagues in 2022 was part of a significant turnaround in which the Orioles ultimately won the AL East in 2023 and made the playoffs in 2024.

However, the last two years have been a good deal less successful. Although Rutschman made the All-Star team for the third time this year, the Orioles traded him to Boston just before the deadline.

“A lot of memories, a lot of positive experiences. The people in Baltimore have always treated me with an unbelievable amount of respect and love, and I’ve always felt that when I’ve been here,” Rutschman said before the game. “So just a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Rutschman is now in better position to make the playoffs. Boston is almost certain to qualify, currently holding the second wild card. The Orioles could still sneak in, but right now they are in last place in the AL East.

So there was a decent amount at stake once the pregame reunions were over.

“He couldn’t help himself. He stopped into the clubhouse quickly,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said before the game. “A lot of hugs, a lot of crap talk going back and forth. It was good to see him.”