Bundy experiences rough homecoming in loss

BALTIMORE -- Not all homecomings come with a happy ending. Dylan Bundy learned that lesson the hard way Wednesday night.

Returning to Baltimore for the second time as an opposing player, the veteran right-hander was tagged for a career-high nine runs on 11 hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings as Minnesota saw its four-game win streak snapped in a 9-4 defeat at Camden Yards. A bright spot in the Twins' surprising rotation success early this season, Bundy watched his ERA balloon from 2.95 to 5.76 in the outing opposite O's righty Kyle Bradish -- the key return piece in the deal that sent Bundy to the Angels in 2019.

“One of the ironies of the baseball season,” said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde of the matchup.

Another irony: Bundy’s implosion came against an Orioles team dealing with a host of offensive issues and, in a rare moment, when Camden Yards seemed to be playing contra to its historical norms, due in part to its new deeper, higher left-field wall.

But as much as any active hurler, Bundy knows what a nightmare Oriole Park can be for pitchers. An Orioles rotation stalwart from 2016-19, Bundy struggled for years to limit damage and prevent extra-base hits at his home office, before landing with the Angels via trade and now Minnesota on a prove-it free agent deal last winter. Wednesday marked his 60th start at Camden Yards, second only to former teammate Kevin Gausman among active players.

The home runs he surrendered to Cedric Mullins and Ramón Urías during Baltimore’s decisive six-run third inning were the 64th and 65th he'd given up at Camden Yards, the most among active pitchers.

“I have a lot of history watching him pitch in this ballpark, and I've seen him pitch really well in this ballpark,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “This wasn’t, obviously, the best of his outings. He’s a guy who can absolutely execute his pitches very well. I think the execution was probably a hair from where it normally would be.”

Said Bundy: “It was horrible tonight. That’s about as simple as it gets.”

Bundy had his triumphant moments as an Oriole despite never blossoming into the superstar he seemed destined to become as a prospect. But as a visitor, Baltimore has proven to be only a hostile place. He lasted only 1 1/3 innings on Aug. 24, 2021, for the Angels, before departing with a right shoulder strain. He didn’t pitch again in '21.

Wednesday night, Bundy became the first opposing pitcher to allow nine runs in a game at Camden Yards since White Sox righty Ivan Nova on April 23, 2019. They were the most allowed by a Twins starter at any venue since Andrew Albers on Sept. 4, 2021, against Tampa Bay.

The result was the Twins’ fourth loss in 22 games against the Orioles dating back to the start of 2018, despite a two-run homer from Carlos Correa.

Correa’s 418-foot shot off Bradish marked his second homer as a Twin and served as his 499th and 500th career RBIs, while also extending his hitting streak to seven games. He’s hitting .452 (14-for-31) with eight RBIs during that stretch, after opening the year 10-for-56 (.179).

“All around, it wasn’t a good outing at all,” Bundy explained. “I wasn’t able to figure it out, out there on the mound. That’s the frustrating part, the embarrassing part. I need to look at video and try to get better from here.”