Brach could come right back tonight in any role (O's lead 5-1)

Orioles reliever Brad Brach entered games in five different innings within his first five appearances of the 2016 season, a nod to his versatility and importance to a bullpen ranked among the best in baseball.

Brach worked the seventh on opening day, followed by the sixth, ninth, fifth and eighth. He was called upon for the ninth and 10th innings during a May 24 game in Houston.

It's anyone's guess where he might pitch tonight if manager Buck Showalter needs him. He's available again after striking out the side in the eighth last night on 22 pitches. He had gone three days between appearances.

Brach has pitched the eighth inning in his last two outings while Darren O'Day remains on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. He's needed more as the primary set-up man in O'Day's absence, though it's impossible to typecast this guy. And with Zach Britton working back-to-back games, Brach could close tonight if the Orioles have a slim lead to protect.

"He's capable of doing (set-up) and he was capable of doing it when Darren was here. And so is Mychal (Givens), we hope," manager Buck Showalter said before tonight's game against the Royals.

"We were fortunate to get a real deep start out of our starter (Mike Wright) and were able to stay away from one of those guys."

The Orioles are riding the hot hand with Brach, who extended his scoreless streak last night to nine games and 10 2/3 innings. His ERA and WHIP fell to 0.88 in 25 games this season.

The Orioles are 22-3 when he pitches.

"Brad's really been rock-solid for us," Showalter said. "I can't imagine anybody pitching better than him out of the bullpen."

Brach has also developed into a big-time strikeout pitcher, with 34 in 30 2/3 innings this season. He averaged 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 2015 and averages 10 per nine innings this year.

"I just think he's got a deceptive delivery and he's got three pitches he can throw for a strike," Showalter said. "He's got enough fastball that you're not going to be able to retool and catch up to it. If you're looking for something soft, he throws hard. If you're looking for something hard, he throw soft. Because you have to cheat to get to the fastball sometimes, it makes you susceptible to the other pitches."

Update: The Orioles scored four runs off Yordano Ventura in the first inning and should have two more if not for Lorenzo Cain's incredible leaping catch in front of the bullpen to rob Pedro Alvarez of a two-run shot.

Singles by Adam Jones and Hyun Soo Kim and a double by Manny Machado gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead, and Mark Trumbo followed with a two-run double to give him 46 RBIs this season. Trumbo took third base on Chris Davis' fly ball to the edge of the center field track and he scored on Jonathan Schoop's single.

Ubaldo Jimenez threw 23 pitches in the top of the first while stranding two runners, and he stranded two more in the second after Kendrys Morales' leadoff double and Davis' error. Machado made a sensational leaping catch up the middle to rob Reymond Fuentes of a hit and possibly two RBIs.

Update II: We have another home run and some drama.

Ryan Flaherty led off the second with his first homer of the season, a ball that bounced on Eutaw Street and hit an awning above one of the businesses. Statcast measured it at 446 feet.

Machado took exception to a pitch from Ventura with one out and Kim on first base after another single, and he yelled at the Royals starter after flying to left field - a ball that the wind knocked down as Machado admired it. Plate umpire Manny Gonzalez walked over to Machado, making sure he didn't head to the mound, and first baseman Eric Hosmer also took a couple of steps toward him.

Flaherty's ball is the 84th to land on Eutaw Street and the second this season. Alvarez, his Vanderbilt teammate, did the same on May 8. Flaherty also hit a ball onto Eutaw Street on Sept. 25, 2013.

Update III: Jimenez was fortunate to give up only one run after issuing a bases-loaded walk to No. 9 hitter Reymond Fuentes with no outs in the fourth inning.