More thoughts on yesterday's comeback win in the Bronx

Say what you will about the 2021 Orioles, and the dialogue fills a lot of pages, but there's no denying that they're playing hard with the season down to its final month and hopes of staying competitive buried a long time ago.

You don't overcome a trio of three-run deficits yesterday at Yankee Stadium if you're already booking offseason vacations. You don't win two one-run games in the series. You don't keep grinding.

There are obvious signs and more subtle ones, the latter including how Kelvin Gutiérrez beat out an infield hit yesterday with two outs in the sixth inning before Cedric Mullins' two-run homer that put the center fielder in the exclusive 25/25 club.

Shortstop Gleyber Torres misjudged Gutiérrez's speed, taking an extra step and pretty much lobbing his throw.

Manager Brandon Hyde wasn't interested in critiquing Torres. He spun the question to praise his own guy.

"That was a big play for us," Hyde said. "I want to give our player credit for hitting a routine ground ball to short and busting it down the line and beating it. That's one thing that we do a pretty good job of. We're playing banged up a little bit, like most teams are right now, but our guys are showing fight and hustle, and Guty did on that play.

"That could have been an easy, 80 percent down the first baseline because I hit a ground ball to short, but he didn't. He jail-breaked and he went as hard as he could and beat the throw."

(I'm assuming it's spelled "Guty" and not "Gutie")

Gutiérrez produced the go-ahead single in the seventh and could stay in the lineup with Ramón Urías day-to-day with recurring soreness in his upper right leg. Urías came out of yesterday's game, Jahmai Jones entered and contributed a big two-run double in the seventh.

Yesterday marked Gutiérrez's first multi-hit game since July 9 against the White Sox.

Jorge Mateo had a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and a game-tying single in the seventh on the 12th pitch of his at-bat, which also happens when a team still cares about winning and players want to impress. He's hit safely in 20 of 24 games since joining the Orioles on Aug. 6, posting a .303 average (27-for-89) with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs, eight RBIs, six walks, eight runs scored and four stolen bases.

Speaking of steals, Mullins has been successful in his last nine attempts.

Hyde joked afterward about ending the suspense over Monday's starter, saying rookie left-hander Zac Lowther would rejoin the team.

"We've been talking about this for four days," he said, smiling.

It felt more like five.

Lowther hasn't appeared in a game with the Orioles since July 7. Tonight presents his second major league start, and he's working on regular rest.

The Orioles need to create room for him on the expanded 28-man roster. Would they option reliever Zack Burdi without using him?

Burdi hasn't pitched since the Orioles recalled him on Aug. 30. He's been waiting to become the 56th player used by the club.

Alexander Wells and Dusten Knight haven't been seen since the Orioles moved them from the taxi squad to the expanded roster on Wednesday. Wells was bypassed for tonight's start.

The bench certainly can use four players with Urías day-to-day and Ryan Mountcastle withheld from yesterday's lineup after fouling a ball off his right foot.

Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Robert Neustrom went 3-for-3 with two home runs last night. Kyle Bradish allowed three runs and three hits in five innings with no walks, six strikeouts and three home runs. Spenser Watkins followed him and allowed one run and three hits in three innings with no walks and three strikeouts.

Single-A Aberdeen defeated Jersey Shore 20-1. Adam Hall and Jean Carmona each had four hits, with Carmona homering and driving in six runs. Gunnar Henderson hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs. Dylan Harris was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs. TT Bowens and Ryne Ogren also had three hits.

Zach Peek allowed one run in five innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. Easton Lucas tossed three scoreless innings in relief.

Ty Blach logged another scoreless inning on his rehab assignment with Single-A Delmarva. How long is this assignment going to last?

John Rhodes had three hits and two RBIs.

The Shorebirds had 12 hits, all singles, and lost in 10 innings. They stranded 16 runners.