'He's an ace': Bradish's 7 no-hit frames help O's sweep White Sox

CHICAGO -- Kyle Bradish and the Orioles had to wait longer than expected to take the field for Sunday’s series finale against the White Sox, thanks to a one-hour, 40-minute rain delay. Even when Bradish was finally able to warm up, his pregame bullpen “wasn't great.”

None of that stopped him from delivering the best start of his Major League career.

Bradish threw seven no-hit innings in Sunday’s 4-1 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, striking out 11 (tying a career high) with four walks, as the O’s finished off a four-game sweep. It marked the longest no-hit bid of his career.

Bradish, who opened the season on the 15-day IL with a right UCL sprain, was at 103 pitches through seven innings. Manager Brandon Hyde went to the bullpen in the eighth, and Danny Mendick hit a solo homer off Orioles lefty Danny Coulombe, ending the combined no-hit bid.

“No choice there, unfortunately,” Hyde said. “It’s 103 pitches. He hasn't gone that far and [was] coming off of an elbow [sprain] earlier and the whole thing. That's difficult, because you want to see him stay out there, and he's throwing the ball so great.

“Really happy with how he threw the baseball. He was absolutely fantastic, and it's great to get a sweep here.”

• Every pitcher removed deep in a no-hit bid

Bradish was vying to become the first Oriole to throw a no-hitter since lefty John Means pulled the feat on May 5, 2021, against the Mariners. The 27-year-old’s longest no-hit bid previously was 5 2/3 innings, on Sept. 22, 2022. He ultimately allowed two hits in 8 2/3 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against the Astros that day.

Steady rain began falling in Chicago at around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Hyde and the Orioles were getting updates on when the rain was expected to pass through, but the rain hung around longer than they expected.

It meant extra time when Bradish was sitting around. Hyde provided him updates so he could time out his game preparation. Once the sky cleared and he took the mound, he showed no signs of rust.

“He’s got no-hit stuff,” Hyde said. “He’s so hard to hit because the fastball goes in two different directions, and we play really good defense also. He can punch guys out, he can get weak contact and get ground balls, and he did that today.”

Bradish knew early he would have to be on his A-game. Garrett Crochet, whom he works out with in the winter, started for the White Sox. The lefty struck out five of the first six Orioles hitters.

Meanwhile, four of Bradish’s first six outs recorded came via strikeouts, including his punchout of Corey Julks to end the first inning. It came after he issued a one-out walk to Andrew Vaughn.

Bradish worked out of trouble on several occasions. After a one-out error by Gunnar Henderson in the third on a ground ball hit by Tommy Pham, Bradish picked the White Sox designated hitter off of first base. He walked Gavin Sheets to start the fourth and then got Julks to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

It was around this point the thought of a potential no-no popped into his batterymate’s mind.

“The way Bradish was throwing it, it was earlier than a lot of times,” said James McCann, who caught Lucas Giolito’s no-hitter at the same ballpark with the White Sox on Aug. 25, 2020. “It was the fifth inning. I just can’t say enough good things about his location, his pitch usage, his pitch shapes.

“You name it, and he had it today.”

Bradish said he figured his day would end soon after he eclipsed 100 pitches, and when he struck out Bryan Ramos to end the seventh, he showed a little extra emotion walking back to the dugout.

Mendick’s homer in the bottom of the eighth came off a Coulombe cutter over the middle of the plate. The lefty said twice postgame he felt “sick” for surrendering the homer that ended the combined no-hitter.

“He deserved that today,” Coulombe said of the no-hitter. “I just didn't execute a 3-1 pitch.”

Even with that disappointing moment, it was a big weekend for the Orioles after getting swept by the Cardinals earlier this week. And for Bradish, who lowered his ERA to 1.75 in five starts this season, Sunday was another standout performance.

“He’s an ace,” Coulombe said. “One of the best in the league. … He’s got top five stuff in baseball. He’s impressive and he’s an even better teammate and individual.”