Hyde explains Game 1 miscommunication, today's lineup decisions and his confidence in bounceback

The miscommunication yesterday that led to Gunnar Henderson’s failed stolen base attempt in the ninth inning of Game 1 was a missed sign by Aaron Hicks on a hit-and-run.

Manager Brandon Hyde explained the situation this afternoon during his daily media session.

Henderson broke for second base on a 2-1 count. José Leclerc’s changeup was called a ball, though he appeared to catch the outside corner, Henderson slowed on his way to second base and was thrown out.

Hicks fouled off the next pitch and then struck out.

“We just missed the hit-and-run sign there,” Hyde said. “That's just something that we've done a lot this year. Hicksy has been wonderful for us this entire season in so many ways. We do put runners in motion, we have to do things. We don’t hit a ton of homers. Trying to generate offense a little bit at times. And we bunt, we do the little things. And yesterday we just missed a sign in the ninth inning there. But that didn’t cost us the game. We had opportunities to score before that.

“We need to start taking a little bit of pressure off our pitchers and start scoring earlier in the game. Yesterday we didn't execute in the time that we have this season.”

A mild lineup shakeup returns Adley Rutschman to the leadoff spot and puts Jorge Mateo at shortstop, with Henderson moving to third base and Ramón Urías going to the bench.

“So Adley, just to get him up to the plate as much as possible,” Hyde said. “The in-between-inning breaks is nice from behind the plate, getting a little extra … (Before) I moved him out of the leadoff spot, he had to rush every time to the plate and had to call time and that kind of thing. Against a left-handed starter, I'm going to lead him off with (Jordan) Montgomery probably going further than (Andrew) Heaney was yesterday.

“And with Jorgie, he's started almost every game against a left-handed starter this year. With Montgomery being a normal (non-reverse-splits) starter, that's what the difference was there.  And I'm also looking for a little bit offense. Jorgie has swung the bell well against left-handed starters, especially in the second half. If he gets on base, he normally scores. We need to score runs. And that's the reason behind that.”

Hyde is waiting until Monday’s workout in Arlington to announce his Game 3 starter, which figures to be Kyle Gibson or Dean Kremer. John Means isn’t on the ALDS roster due to elbow soreness following Thursday’s simulated game.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is “pretty much set” to start Game 3.

The Orioles must bounce back from yesterday’s loss, as they’ve done so many times during the regular season. Hyde made his usual counter moves, predictable in his pinch-hit decisions and bullpen matchups. But the Rangers held on for the win.

“I feel like the game we played yesterday is a game we’ve played 80 times this year,” Hyde said. “We’ve played a lot of close games, we’ve played those types of games. We’ve been on the right end of a lot of them. Yesterday we just came up a little short. But the atmosphere was amazing in the ballpark, and reflecting back to pregame ceremonies and how loud the crowd was, I thought that was really a special thing. And our players really appreciated it. Unfortunately, we just came up a little short yesterday.”

Hyde’s club didn’t lose more than four games in a row during the regular season. Burying a defeat and moving on from it is one of its finest traits.

“It's something we've done really well this year and the last couple of years,” Hyde said. “Like I said earlier, I feel like that game was a game we played a hundred times this year. We've had a lot of come-from-behind wins, we've had a lot of close-game wins. But those games we've lost like that, I feel like we've done a great job of bouncing back.

“I think Grayson (Rodriguez) is really ready to take the mound today, take the ball. I'm really excited and looking forward to watching him pitch. It's almost always about the next-day starter, and we're happy to see Grayson out there today.

“I didn't feel any different being in the clubhouse here for the last couple hours. The guys were loose, kind of keeping the same routine they normally do, and I didn't feel any tension in the clubhouse.”

“That's what's defined us all year,” outfielder Anthony Santander said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “That's who we've been all year. We've been able to bounce back from those games, and I would say we're already past what happened yesterday. We came back today and we're ready to go and we're ready to give it all we have today.”

If this is a must-win situation for the Orioles to avoid being down 0-2, the Rangers are just as determined to take both games here.

“You want to go to 2-0,” Bochy said. “We're facing a good pitcher, obviously a great team. And to be on the road as long as we have and playing as well as we have, I'm proud of these guys. We'll be out there and doing all we can to try to get this one.

“It's going to be good to head back home when this is done because we have been gone quite a while. We'll do all we can to get it.”