Dylan Bundy impresses a veteran teammate (plus other notes)

Orioles right-handed reliever Dylan Bundy has now made four major league appearances - two in 2012 and two this season.

The player ranked as the Orioles' No. 1 prospect a whopping five times (2011 through 2015), pitched more than one inning for the first time as an Oriole on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

The 23-year-old right-hander had a solid outing. Over 2 1/3 innings, he gave up three hits and one run on 43 pitches. Showing a solid curveball and changeup, Bundy almost looked more like a starter than a reliever, mixing his pitches well and keeping Boston off the board in the sixth and seventh.

Count veteran Darren O'Day among those impressed by Bundy. I talked to him about Bundy during the Orioles' first homestand.

"He's being a sponge right now," O'Day said of the Orioles first-round pick in 2011. "Been a starter his whole life, so there are some big adjustments you have to make. He's coming along nicely. He's taking the ribbing well, being the youngest guy down there. Being the backpack guy."

The backpack is what some bullpen rookies have to carry out to the 'pen each night. It is usually filled with gum and other assorted goodies.

"Dylan is an important part of this bullpen. This team is going to play a lot of close games, so we have to have one through seven in the bullpen," O'Day added.

For a player that received so much press and hype as an amateur and young pro, I've never seen Bundy exhibit even a hint of an ego. Neither has O'Day. He sees a young kid with talent, poise and a bright future. And a young kid that battled to make his way back to the bigs after Tommy John surgery in June 2013.

"That is a product of who he is, how his parents raised him, where he's from," O'Day said. "After he got in his first outing, I went up and said 'Congratulations on making it back.' There are times I'm sure he thought, 'I'm done.'

"He's grateful to be here in any capacity. I hope the bullpen is just a steppingstone to get his innings up to be a starter. I think he is talented enough to be a really good starter. I'm just really happy for him. You can tell he's grateful for every day and I think that's a good place to be if you are looking to get the most out of your game."

Pretty nice praise there for a rookie from a very respected veteran.

Bundy video: Click here to see yesterday's MASN pregame interview with Gary Thorne and Bundy. Bundy told Thorne he'd like to throw 90 or 100 innings this year and also said his arm felt great after that outing on Tuesday. You can see videos by going to our media lounge on the front page of the website. Click on "Videos" and then "Orioles."

Meanwhile, after their first loss of the year last night, the Orioles are 7-1 as they head to Texas. They lead the American League East by 2 1/2 games over New York, by three over Boston, by 3 1/2 over Toronto and by four over Tampa Bay.

A few notes on the Orioles:

* The Orioles' rotation ERA was 1.42 over the first four games, when O's starters allowed just four runs (three earned) over 19 innings. Over the past four games, the starters have an ERA of 6.86, allowing 16 runs (15 earned) over 19 2/3 innings. O's starters have worked five or fewer innings in five straight games and in seven of eight this season.

* The O's have been outscored 7-0 in the first inning. But they have outscored their opposition 14-4 in the second and third innings, and 12-4 in the last three innings.

* The Orioles first seven homers this year were solo shots, producing obviously just seven runs. But their last seven homers have come with at least one man on the bases producing 16 runs.

* The O's 14 homers over their first eight games is a club record. The previous record was 13 in the first eight games in 1966, 2012 and 2015.

* The O's begin a four-game series tonight at Texas. They went 1-6 last year against the Rangers and lost the last four games between the teams. They were shut out twice in those four games and outscored 16-4.

* The Rangers have been getting some good starting pitching. In their most recent three-game series with Seattle, Rangers starters pitched to an ERA of 1.02. Over the last seven games, that mark is 2.74. Texas has eight quality starts already through a 5-5 start to lead the major leagues in that category. The O's have just one quality start so far.

* Manny Machado went 6-for-13 (.462) in the Boston series with two doubles and four runs. Over his last six games, he is batting .520 (13-for-25) with three doubles, three homers and four RBIs. Machado has hit safely in all eight games in 2016, batting .441/.486/.794 with an OPS of 1.281.