Leftovers for breakfast

The Orioles wanted veteran starter Jordan Lyles to be durable and dependable. To make each start, push past the middle innings and give his club a chance to win. They sought his leadership on an inexperienced staff.

And they were willing to sign him for $7 million guaranteed with a $11 club option for 2023.

How’s it working out?

“I think he’s exceeded our expectations and what he’s done for us in every way,” says manager Brandon Hyde.

Hyde has gone on record with that opinion multiple times this season, most recently before Thursday’s game.

Lyles leads the Orioles with 26 starts, six more than Tyler Wells, who’s been on the injured list since July 28. His 145 2/3 innings also outdistance runner-up Wells, who’s at 94 2/3 and hoping to be activated in September – perhaps as a reliever.

Easily lost in Thursday night’s dramatic win is Lyles surrendering a first-pitch home run and nothing else heading into the seventh inning. He was tagged with an unearned run because of a bloop single, infield hit and Terrin Vavra throwing error.

Lyles completed the seventh inning for the fifth time this season. Dean Kremer and Kyle Bradish have done it twice.

“Putting up the numbers that he’s put up in this division, to be able to really be the rock in our rotation, and somebody for our really inexperienced rotation guys to look up to, I think he’s been everything and more of what we asked,” Hyde said.

“It’s a great sign, because he really has been a huge help this year and a big part of what we’re doing.”

Hyde also loves Lyles’ stubborn streak. The insistence that he can extend every start and save the bullpen. As if handing over the ball is a sign of weakness.

“He definitely likes to go another inning,” Hyde said.

“It’s great. Sometimes, I have to make tough decisions, but he’s very respectful and he voices his opinion like a pro, which is fine. I want guys to want to go back out there, I want guys to feel like they can continue to help and compete. So, no problem with it.

“Jordan’s a competitor and he likes to be out there, and I appreciate that.”

* Lyles gladly settled for a no-decision Thursday, with rookie Kyle Stowers hitting his first major league home run to tie the game with two outs in the ninth and an 0-2 count against All-Star closer Liam Hendriks.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Stowers became the ninth player in Orioles history to have his first career home run be game-tying, go-ahead or a walk-off in the ninth inning or later. He was the first since Henry Urrutia belted a walk-off, solo home run in the ninth inning on Aug. 19, 2015 against the Mets at Camden Yards.

Here’s where it gets weird.

Urrutia never hit another home run.

He didn’t get many chances, his entire major league career consisting of 34 games over parts of the 2013 and 2015 seasons after defecting from Cuba.

I’ll always remember how emotional Urrutia was after the game, tears in his eyes while talking about giving the baseball to his 16-month-old son Henry. A fan retrieved it for him.

“My son one day can say, 'This is the first homer from my dad in the big leagues,’” Urrutia said.

Who knew it would be the last?

Urrutia became the fifth player in Orioles history whose first career home run was a walk-off, and the first since Chris Hoiles on June 27, 1990. Merv Rettenmund (1968), Jim Hardin (1969) and Dave Criscione (1977) also accomplished the feat.

* I was yesterday years old – I think that’s the expression – when I learned that the Orioles released infielder Shed Long Jr. more than a week ago.

The exact date was Aug. 16. I must have been napping.

Long hadn’t played for Triple-A Norfolk since June, when he went on the injured list. He appeared in three games in the Florida Complex League on his rehab assignment, the last on Aug. 15.

The Orioles signed Long in February and invited him to spring training, where he began workouts following his second surgery on his right shin in two years. He went on Norfolk’s injured list April 5, began a rehab assignment with low Single-A Delmarva on May 10, continued it with high Single-A Aberdeen and made his Norfolk debut on May 24.

His time with the Tides lasted 22 games. He batted .211/.318/.276.

I thought we’d see Long in the majors this summer as a utility-type player assuming that he’d make a full recovery from the surgery. He was the Mariners starting second baseman on opening day 2020.

I was prepared to break out more Shed tools puns, but he just disappeared.

Long gone.