More on Bundy, Miley and sitting hot-hitting lefties (O's win 3-2)

Following Dylan Bundy in the rotation means facing both the opponent and a raised bar.

Bundy has taken no-hitters into the sixth inning in his last two starts. He walked off the mound last night to multiple standing ovations.

Kevin Gausman would welcome the same results tonight, the same reception, though a team win always takes priority.

Manager Buck Showalter has been peppered with questions about Bundy's latest flirtation with history and how he would have responded if it continued past the sixth inning. The answer stays the same.

"It's happened twice with him now," Showalter said. "I wasn't going to let him pitch more than seven innings because his progression's perfect. He almost got through the sixth last time.

"He was leaking a little oil in the seventh. If you look at the elevation of some of his pitches, it was getting a little more feathery. That's why I had Brad (Brach) up. He was going hitter to hitter. In fact, the last guy he got out was his last hitter. It wasn't so much pitch count. But what would happen if he had a no-hitter going into the eighth with 85 pitches? He would have been done. We would have taken him out.

"It's not easy. I'm just telling you want we would have done. There's nothing easy about it at all. There's things you think about with your heart as much as your head, but usually what's right in your head is what's good for the Orioles. It's more about what's best for us. Plus, we have some very capable people down in our bullpen."

The seven innings were a career high for Bundy. They may not be his ceiling.

"I'm going to see what the opposition says and how he looks to Wally (Dave Wallace) and I through the outing," Showalter said. "I'd love to think he goes to eight next time and 81 pitches. I don't think it's going to happen.

"I've really been, not surprised, but just about the efficiency of his pitches. That really didn't play itself as a reliever too much. When we got to that three, four and five (days' rest), he really showed what he's showing now."

Wade Miley will get his opportunity on Thursday in front of the home crowd, which apparently wasn't a factor in Showalter's decision.

"I don't think so. There's two ways to look at it, too. You could do it the other way," Showalter said.

"I think having him sit around too long, he's pitching well. I want to keep the ball in his hand. Also, I wanted to give Tilly (Chris Tillman) an extra day, just one, and I didn't want (Yovani) Gallardo to sit around for four or five extra days. He's been throwing the ball pretty well. I want to keep that intact. So it kind of fit for everybody.

"You look at matchups, comparatively speaking, other people that they were against might not be here anymore. When you're pitching well, does it matter who you're facing? There's a lot of different ways to look at it. But I think the big thing is he needs to get it going and stay active, stay where he is. It allowed us to kind of set things up down the road for a while."

Tonight's lineup doesn't include Hyun Soo Kim, who's batting .331/.416/.442 and quieting critics who thought he'd be exposed if used with any semblance of regularity. It doesn't include Pedro Alvarez, who homered twice last night, has eight hits in his last 19 at-bats and has 12 home runs since June 1.

Both players are on the bench because the Rangers are starting left-hander Cole Hamels, causing Showalter to counter with Steve Pearce and Nolan Reimold. Kim is 0-for-11 with three walks against left-handers this season. Alvarez is 4-for-27 with a home run.

Showalter isn't fully committed to a strict platoon and left open the possibility of Kim and Alvarez starting against left-handers down the road.

"Depending on who it is," he said. "Has Kim had a hit off a left-handed pitcher yet? I don't think he has, but he will. He would if we run him out there. We've left Pete in there some during games, when we could have pinch-hit for him, but he's swinging the bat well. But I think we're going to take each pitcher as it comes."

Update: The first inning bit Gausman again. He struck out the first two batters and surrendered a home run to Carlos Beltran.

Update II: The Orioles tied the score in the bottom of the first on Jonathan Schoop's single, Manny Machado's double and Mark Trumbo's fielder's choice grounder to short.

Chris Davis and Steve Pearce walked with two outs and Matt Wieters delivered a two-run single into center field.

Cole Hamels threw 28 pitches in the inning.

Update III: Rougned Odor led off the second by doubling on an 0-2 pitch and he scored on Jonathan Lucroy's RBI single on a 1-2 pitch. Gausman threw 35 pitches in the inning, raising his total to 50, but he leads 3-2.

Update IV: The Orioles held on to defeat the Rangers 3-2 and assure themselves of another home series win.

Gausman allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, with one walk, seven strikeouts and a home run. He was removed after 108 pitches.

Darren O'Day retired all three batters he faced, working back-to-back nights, and Zach Britton recorded his 33rd save.

Britton's 33 saves to start a season are the most by a left-hander, surpassing the Tigers' Willie Hernandez in 1984.

The Orioles were held to no runs and one hit after the first inning.