Bradish looks fresh, Henderson goes deep in Orioles’ 5-0 victory

A bit of rest can make a significant difference. The Orioles gave Kyle Bradish a few extra days off before today’s game against the Rays, and the 27-year-old excelled at Tropicana Field. Bradish held Tampa to one infield single over six innings, with the Orioles adding late insurance for a 5-0 win.

Yandy Díaz hit a weak dribbler for a leadoff single, after which Bradish retired 18 straight batters. He struck out nine without walking anyone, achieving five consecutive strikeouts between the fifth and sixth innings and preventing any ball from leaving the infield.

Bradish seemed very comfortable against the same team that had chased him in the third inning the previous week. He reached 97 MPH on the radar gun and kept Tampa off balance with his slider and curveball. He focused on pounding the strike zone, resulting in early and often weak contact in addition to his nine strikeouts.

After suffering a sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament in January and receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection, the unscheduled rest had generated concern. Bradish’s strong performance today reassured the Orioles, who will do their best to keep this version of him healthy for the rest of the season.

Ryan O’Hearn broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run in the fourth inning.

Danny Coulombe took over for Bradish in a one-run game and maintained the momentum, recording six outs while Yennier Cano and Craig Kimbrel rested in the bullpen.

In the eighth inning, O’Hearn lined a single to right and surprisingly stole second with two outs. Jordan Westburg hit a ball toward center field that a leaping Jose Siri couldn’t catch. O’Hearn scored, and Westburg raced to third for a triple. Although Colton Cowser’s flyout ended the inning, Westburg’s hit doubled Baltimore’s lead.

Coulombe returned to the mound for a shutdown inning, and the Orioles extended their lead in the ninth. Connor Norby, celebrating his birthday, led off with a single. Cedric Mullins walked, and Gunnar Henderson hit a home run for a 5-0 lead, marking Baltimore’s 100th home run of the season.

The Orioles nearly recorded 27 consecutive outs, but Díaz hit a two-out single past Westburg in the ninth, marking Tampa Bay’s first hard-hit ball of the day. Cionel Pérez then struck out Brandon Lowe to end the game.

Kyle Stowers, who started the game, exited early with right wrist discomfort. Brandon Hyde mentioned that Stowers tweaked his wrist on a diving play in Toronto but assured he would be fine.

Austin Hays, who came in as a late-inning defensive replacement, hit a double in the ninth inning.

Early in the game, the Orioles struggled against Tampa starter Taj Bradley’s high-velocity pitches. Bradley held the Orioles to three hits and one walk, striking out seven over five innings. Former Orioles pitchers Shawn Armstrong and Colin Poche kept Baltimore off the board until the late innings.

The Orioles aim to clinch a series victory tomorrow with Grayson Rodriguez facing Zack Littell at 1:40 p.m.

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