Kyle Bradish isn’t considered as an American League Cy Young candidate, however he pitched like one Tuesday.
Gunnar Henderson, in the meantime, is the AL Rookie of the Year front-runner, and he hit prefer it Tuesday.
Bradish twirled eight shutout innings, Henderson hit a leadoff residence run and the Orioles held on to beat the Washington Nationals, 1-0, and decrease their magic quantity to win the AL East to 2.
The shutout victory at Camden Yards over the native foe was the third in as many video games this season, because the Orioles claimed the primary two contests of the Beltway Series at Nationals Park in April with 1-0 and 4-0 wins. It’s the membership’s eleventh shutout this season and fourth 1-0 triumph.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the MLB record-holder for many video games with the lone RBI in a 1-0 win is Brooks Robinson, the Hall of Fame third baseman who died Tuesday. He did so 10 occasions in his 23-year profession.
“I think a lot of guys played tonight with a heavy heart,” mentioned supervisor Brandon Hyde, who opened his postgame information convention providing condolences to the Robinson household. “It was emotional before the game to hear the news. The time he spent with us last year, especially coming into the clubhouse after he threw the first pitch, that was really motivational and inspirational for our players. He’s an icon in this game, an icon in this city. There’s not many of those.”
Bradish (12-7) emerged this summer time because the Orioles’ ace, and he maintained that fame Tuesday, scattering simply three hits and two walks to clean the Nationals for the second time this season. The scoreless begin is his second straight after throwing six clear innings towards the Houston Astros final week and eighth this season, tying him for second most in Orioles historical past with Jim Palmer (1976), Milt Pappas (1964) and Steve Barber (1961).
“That’s so impressive,” Hyde mentioned of Bradish’s outing. “I mean, late September, pennant race and go eight shutout innings and not much hard contact the entire night. He’s just got really good stuff. … He’s just becoming a complete pitcher. The command has improved so much in the last year-and-a-half, and that’s why he’s turning out these lights-out performances.”
The 27-year-old has thrown six innings in every of his previous eight begins for the longest streak by an Oriole since Dylan Bundy in 2018, a 12 months earlier than Baltimore traded him to the Los Angeles Angels for a package deal of prospects that included Bradish. His eight innings Tuesday have been a season-high, as Hyde despatched Bradish again out for the eighth, a rarity for his younger rotation.
“I felt good,” Bradish mentioned. “Skip asked me how I was feeling, said I felt great. So able to complete that eight was big. I know the bullpen’s beat up, so past few starts from our guys have been huge.”
Despite his ascendance, Bradish isn’t thought-about a candidate for the AL Cy Young Award, with New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole as a transparent favourite and a few sportsbooks not even itemizing Bradish as an possibility. His 2.86 ERA is the fourth-best amongst certified MLB starters, behind solely Cole, National League Cy Young front-runner Blake Snell and Minnesota Twins right-hander Sonny Gray.
It’s doable, ought to the Orioles clinch earlier than the ultimate sport of the season, that Tuesday was the ultimate begin of Bradish’s season. After a sluggish begin to the 12 months, which included a short injured listing stint after taking a line drive off his leg in his first begin, Bradish may finish the common season with 163 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP in 166 2/3 innings.
“He competes, it’s a real competitive mindset,” Hyde mentioned. “He doesn’t think he should get hit, he’s angry at himself when he makes mistakes, and he’s hard to hit. When he has it going like he did tonight, like I said, he found the breaking balls a little bit more as the game went on, he can shut you out.”
The second-year starter relied on his protection Tuesday, with 15 of his 24 outs by way of floor balls and solely 4 strikeouts. Baltimore performed errorless protection, as each grounder was devoured up by first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, second baseman Adam Frazier, third baseman Ramón Urías and Henderson at shortstop.
Bradish mentioned his protection’s regular play was a becoming method to honor Robinson.
“It was definitely sad news,” he mentioned. “He means a lot to town and this staff. He’s been round us for the previous few years, so getting that information proper earlier than the sport was robust, however we have been capable of squeak out a victory.
“It’s only right that defense was working today.”
All the run assist Bradish wanted was offered by Henderson within the first inning. The 22-year-old rookie clobbered the seventh pitch of his opening at-bat towards Nationals starter Josiah Gray 400 ft to right-center discipline to finish the offense’s five-game homerless streak. The solely different time in Orioles historical past they’ve received 1-0 with a leadoff residence run was in August 2014, courtesy of Nick Markakis’ opening lengthy ball. Tuesday’s win was simply the twenty ninth prevalence of the feat in MLB since 1900, in response to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“It shows baseball is just a crazy game,” Henderson mentioned. “You start off with that, and you don’t put up any more runs. It’s a weird game, but glad we got the job done.”
The deep shot was Henderson’s twenty eighth this season, tied with Cal Ripken Jr. in 1982 for the second most by an Orioles rookie, behind solely Ryan Mountcastle’s 33 in 2021. Henderson has 65 extra-base hits this 12 months — 28 doubles, 9 triples and 28 homers — for a complete that can also be tied with Ripken for many by an Orioles rookie.
Henderson entered the season because the AL Rookie of the Year favourite, and after overcoming a sluggish begin, the 2019 second-round decide re-established himself for the award this summer time. He’s now a shoo-in to turn into the primary Oriole to win it since pitcher Gregg Olson in 1989.
Henderson virtually added one other spotlight to his already prolonged reel by making an attempt a steal of residence within the eighth inning, however Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz’s tag beat the speedster’s hand touching the plate. Yennier Cano then slammed the door for his eighth save with a three-up, three-down ninth.
The win is Baltimore’s 98th of the season, tied with the 1997 AL East-winning membership and 1983 World Series champions for many by an Orioles staff since 1981. It additionally assured the membership a ninetieth straight collection with out being swept. The streak, courting to May 2022, is the longest since World War II and an AL file.
Baltimore (98-59) can clinch its first AL East title since 2014 on Wednesday with a win over the Nationals and a Tampa Bay Rays loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Nationals at Orioles
Wednesday, 6:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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