Kevin Gausman: "My confidence is growing" (plus other clubhouse quotes)

In matching scoreless innings tonight with Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka, Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman looked like an ace himself.

Through three starts, he has an ERA of 1.42 and a batting average against of .152. Tonight, he gave up just three hits over eight scoreless innings on 98 pitches.

In a season where the Orioles hoped he would step up his game and become a top-of-the-rotation starter, he has so far done exactly that.

"Obviously, my confidence is growing and I just feel a lot more comfortable at this level," Gausman said. "Some guys, they get to the big leagues and they just already are comfortable. This is the first year where I really felt I know what I'm doing, and when I take the mound, there is no questioning whether my stuff is going to play or not."

While he did not get a decision in a game the Orioles won 1-0 in 10 innings, Gausman dueled Tanaka pitch for pitch tonight.

"It was a lot of fun," Gausman said. "I kept telling myself in the dugout, 'He's not going to give in and I'm not going to give in.' Just one of those good pitching performances that went back and forth. It was a lot of fun and that guy has been great since he's been in the league. The biggest thing is us winning against this team.

"I think just mixing my pitches (was the key). Early on, I kind of started throwing my breaking ball early in the count for strikes. Then really just kind of mixed it up and really was on the same page with Wheaty (catcher Matt Wieters)."

Gausman's two changeups were big pitches tonight against a lineup filled with left-handed batters.

"Yeah, it (the changeup) was good," he said. "It was really good and I thought it got better as the game went on. I threw some really good ones when I needed to. I left a couple up, but fortunately they took them for strikes. I knew there were a lot of lefties and my split-change and my circle change I knew I would be throwing a lot. It was a big pitch for me and I mixed in a lot of sinkers this game, too.

"I wanted to (pitch the ninth). I'm competitive and I wanted to go back out there. Hadn't really gone to seven this year, so to get to eight was big."

The O's rotation may slowly but surely be stepping up. It has now produced seven quality starts the past nine games with an ERA of 2.95.

"Yeah, we know what we are capable of and 2014 is a prime example of what multiple guys pitching well can do," Gausman said. "When you have guys pitching well, it is kind of a snowball effect. A guy wants to one up the other guy and it is good to have that competitiveness with each other."

This scoreless duel finally ended when Pedro Alvarez batted in the 10th with runners on first and third versus Andrew Miller. He hit a sac fly to center on an 0-1 pitch.

"You just try to get a ball up where I can put a good swing on it and wanted to hit it deep enough," Alvarez said. "I am just trying to square it up. Just wanted to put a good swing on it. It is not a comfortable AB against Miller. When a guy goes out there and pitches like Gausman, you want to get him the W. These are some intense games and some well-played baseball."

The game featured the return of O's closer Zach Britton. Out since Saturday with a sprained left ankle, he got the win tonight. Over 1 1/3 innings, he threw 23 pitches and fanned three.

Was he surprised he could return so soon?

"You know I've had some little things here and there and felt like I recovered quick," he said. "I think it is more so a credit to the training staff. They did such a good job trying to stay on top of things. So yes and no. I've never had an ankle injury, so I didn't know what to expect.

"Everyone has been saying that was kind of a quick return, but I felt pretty good and hopefully I feel good tomorrow. That is going to be the biggest test for me. I was running on adrenaline and some of the hot stuff on the ankle. But I was just happy to get out there and hopefully will feel good tomorrow."

This was the Orioles' first 1-0 win over the Yankees since Sept. 25, 1981 in New York. It was their first shutout against New York since a 5-0 win on Sept. 12, 2014 at Oriole Park.

Gausman's eight-inning outing tied his career high of eight frames set last Sept. 30. He has an ERA of 1.29 in two home starts this year. In six career starts versus the Yankees, Gausman is 1-1 with an ERA of 2.00.

This was the O's third walk-off win of the year (also April 4 against Minnesota and April 20 against Toronto).

Tonight's game was the fourth homerless game at Camden Yards in 2016 and the Orioles are 3-1 in those games.