Lyles, bullpen and bats combine to give Orioles series win (updated)

A manager uses six relievers to secure a win, he’s going to wish for a lengthy outing from his starting pitcher less than 24 hours later.

Brandon Hyde watched Jordan Lyles strand two Red Sox runners in the first and second innings and leave the bases loaded in the third. Escape acts that should be applauded, but also left him at 55 pitches.

The forecasted rain wasn’t helping, either – 100 percent chance over the next two hours, the gray sky not offering a counterpoint.

A lineout to begin the fourth was followed by a single, walk and 6-3 double play. Fourteen more pitches, but still no runs.

The slithering out of jams ended in the fifth, with Boston scoring on Franchy Cordero’s sacrifice fly after Xander Bogaerts led off with a double.

Only one run scored. The Orioles had more in their tank in the bottom half, rewarding Lyles for his grit.

They sent nine batters to the plate, scored three times as the rain intensified, and twice forced manager Alex Cora to call upon his bullpen. The left field wall robbed Anthony Santander of a grand slam, making him settle for a long sacrifice fly, but the Orioles weathered it all in a 9-5 victory that gave them a third series win.

Rougned Odor led off the sixth with his first home run as an Oriole, flipping the bat at his feet, Ramón Urías walked and umpires halted play at 3:11 p.m. The delay lasted 2 hours, 5 minutes.

The Orioles scored five more runs after returning to the field in the sixth and improved to 8-14.

"It was nice to see us swing the bats after the rain delay," Hyde said. "Got some big hits and played solid defensively. I'm happy with the way we're throwing the ball and hopefully that fifth inning, sixth inning, can kind of get us going offensively a little bit."

Catcher Kevin Plawecki pitched the eighth for Boston and stranded a runner. Travis Lakins Sr. tossed two scoreless innings and surrendered a grand slam to J.D. Martinez in the ninth, the second by the right-hander this season. The bullpen hadn't allowed a run in 10 1/3 innings in the series.

Outfielder Ryan McKenna was optioned after the game. One more move is coming Monday to get the roster down to 26 players.

Kiké Hernandez singled in the fifth following Cordero’s sacrifice fly, but Lyles was back in the dugout at 85 pitches after first baseman Tyler Nevin made a sensational diving stop and flip to Lyles to rob Jackie Bradley Jr. Lyles retired the side in order in the sixth, recording two strikeouts and finishing at 101 pitches.

Lyles allowed seven hits, walked three batters and struck out six. Lots of activity but very little damage.  

“I thought it was gutsy,” Hyde said. “He pitched with traffic for the first five innings or so. Made pitches like a pro to get out of innings. We needed him to go deep in the game and he threw a lot of pitches early, but I thought his slider was good and I thought he made pitches when he had to. He gave us what we needed.”

The combination of Nevin, Odor, Urías and Chris Owings went 0-for-14 last night. Odor led off the fifth today with a single off Cordero’s glove, Urías doubled, and they scored on Nevin’s single for a 2-1 lead.

"At the plate I've been feeling pretty good ever since I came up," Nevin said. "Just glad to finally pull through there. Had a couple opportunities in the series and it's good to get that monkey off the back."

Jorge Mateo singled with one out, reliever Austin Davis replaced Nick Pivetta, and Mullins blooped a single into right field to load the bases. Santander followed with his fly ball, pausing as if anticipating a slam.

A projected distance of 378 feet won’t fly in 2022 and beyond.

Phillips Valdez hit Nevin and walked Anthony Bemboom to load the bases when play resumed. Mateo doubled to score two runs, and two more came home on Santander’s single. Ryan Mountcastle singled into center field for a 9-1 lead.

Valdez tried to stay on the mound for 2 hours, 5 minutes.  

The no-hit drama didn’t carry into the final game of the series.

Rich Hill retired the first 12 batters in the opener and Nathan Eovaldi didn’t allow a hit last night until Mullins’ double with two outs in the sixth inning. Mullins led off today with an infield hit on a ball that glanced off Pivetta and rolled toward shortstop.

Catcher Christian Vázquez made a perfect throw to nail Mullins attempting to steal second base.

Another Oriole didn’t reach base until Rafael Devers made a lunging backhanded stop of Mullins’ grounder in the fourth, and Cordero dropped the ball on a low but playable throw.

Santander singled into right field, Mountcastle flied to shallow right field, and an unconventional double play bailed out Pivetta.

Austin Hays struck out and Santander was tagged on an attempted steal before Mullins crossed the plate on the backend of the play.

The next inning played out much differently, as did the rest of the game.

Lyles kept plugging along. Known for not wanting to surrendered the ball, he held it tightly today in a soaked hand.

“For the most part, pretty satisfied with the six innings,” Lyles said. “A couple of long at-bats to start the game. A couple innings where there were multiple guys on base, a couple jams to get out of. But overall, six innings, one-run ball. Boom (Anthony Bemboom) behind the plate did a really good job of keeping us in there for the majority of the game. Hats off to him. That’s my first time getting to work together, so that was fun.

"I haven't been satisfied with the first few outings personally for me. I don't like going five innings, I'd like to go more. Six innings isn't the end goal, 100 pitches isn't the end goal. So, still early, but as we ease on later into the season, we'll keep deeper in games and that pitch count will get a little higher."

The veteran registered the team’s third quality start of the season. The rotation has a 1.78 home ERA that’s lowest in the majors.

"We've been throwing it really well, especially here at home," Lyles said. "Pitching for us, we've been doing our jobs and being really good. That hasn't really fluctuated too much on the pitching standpoint for us."

Down on the farm, the Double-A Bowie Baysox announced that catcher Adley Rutschman and left-hander DL Hall are joining them Tuesday.

Rutschman went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly today at high Single-A Aberdeen before the game was suspended due to rain. He was 6-for-14 with three doubles for the IronBirds, and his progression from a strained right triceps carries him to the Eastern League.

Hall tossed four scoreless innings Friday night with six strikeouts. He’s back with the Baysox, where he made seven starts last summer before being shut down with a stress reaction in his left elbow.

Rico Garcia started for Aberdeen today on his rehab assignment and retired all six batters. He struck out three.

Grayson Rodriguez allowed five runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings for Triple-A Norfolk, with two walks, five strikeouts and a hit batter. In his last two starts, he’s surrendered eight runs and 12 hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Cristopher Céspedes’ first Triple-A hit was an RBI single.