Bradish K's 9, but lack of length put O's 'pen in tough spot?

BALTIMORE -- Kyle Bradish took the mound for the franchise’s first playoff game in seven years embodying its changed fortunes perhaps more than any other pitcher on its staff.

Acquired from the Angels in a December 2019 deal for Dylan Bundy, Bradish arguably represents general manager Mike Elias’ most successful trade of the rebuild. The 27-year-old righty was one of the club’s first notable blue-chippers to debut two years ago, then grew from a mid-level prospect into a frontline-type starter. Indeed, Bradish’s 2.83 ERA this season was the lowest by a qualified O’s starter since Mike Mussina (2.54) in 1992, and he led American League hurlers (min. 100 IP) in ERA over the season’s final four months.

So it wasn’t a difficult or controversial decision for the Orioles to hand Bradish the ball Saturday, when his imperfect outing in front of a packed house of 46,450 fans at Oriole Park laid the foundation for Baltimore’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

In all best-of-five postseason series, team to have lost Game 1 have come back and won the series 43 of 148 (29%) times. In Division Series with the current 2-2-1 format, teams that lost Game 1 at home have advanced 12 of 42 times (29%).

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It was a mixed start for Bradish, who flashed his ace potential with nine strikeouts but went only 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball. It was a less than ideal start for an O’s team carrying 12 pitchers that now finds itself in a 1-0 hole.

“It was a good first experience in the postseason, [but a] frustrating outing,” Bradish said. “They had two hard-hit balls, but a few balls close to the plate that they hit found holes. They’re a good hitting team, that’s what they do. Overall, a little frustrating.”

Bradish was sharp early, whiffing five of his first eight batters and facing just two over the minimum through three. By the end of his outing he became the fifth Orioles pitcher in the past 50 years to record at least nine strikeouts in a postseason game, joining Mike Mussina (three times), Mike Boddicker (1983 ALCS), Mike Cuellar (1973 ALCS) and Jim Palmer (1973 ALCS).

“I don't think he's as sharp as he is usually,” O’s manager Brandon Hyde said. “But he punched out nine and had really good stuff.”

Bradish ran into trouble in the fourth, surrendering four consecutive one-out hits to the heart of the Rangers’ lineup, including a run-scoring Evan Carter double and a run-scoring Jonah Heim single. That put the Orioles in an early hole they’d eventually battle back from -- via Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI double and Anthony Santander’s sixth-inning solo homer -- but not claw out of entirely. Josh Jung’s homer off Jacob Webb in the sixth ensured that and provided the final margin.

Hyde pulled Bradish in the fifth inning despite the right-hander sitting at 84 pitches. Bradish was pitching on six days of rest and last made a full outing on Sept. 26 -- 11 days ago. Hyde said the layoff did not factor into his early hook for Bradish, indicating that the decision was more matchup-based.

“We were down 2-1, and he just gave up two runs the inning before,” Hyde said. “[Bradish] just gave up a couple of runs there in the fourth. I thought he was still throwing the ball well.”

For the most part, the O’s ’pen held the line behind Bradish, with DL Hall (1 2/3 IP, 3 K), Tyler Wells (1 IP, 2 K) and Cionel Perez (2/3 IP, 2 K) combining for 10 big outs after Jung’s homer. But although the score helped Hyde stay away from closer Yennier Cano, Bradish’s short start did force the Orioles to use five of their eight rostered relievers in Game 1. That leaves Cano, righty Bryan Baker and Jack Flaherty (who probably won’t start Games 3 or 4) as Baltimore's only fresh relievers for Sunday’s Game 2. Hall, who threw 28 pitches, might be down for Game 2.

“With how good our bullpen is, I can see that happening a lot,” Bradish said of them keeping the game close. “I wish I was able to go deeper into the game to help out that bullpen.”