Bradish, Cano hold Rockies at bay to secure series win

BALTIMORE -- On a day of uncertainty for the Orioles’ bullpen, starting pitcher Kyle Bradish was predictably solid.

Bradish allowed two runs on six hits in six-plus innings and the Orioles rallied to defeat the Rockies, 5-4, on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at Camden Yards on Félix Bautista bobblehead night.

Earlier in the day, the Orioles placed their All-Star closer on the 15-day IL with an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Bautista was in the dugout Saturday night and the extent of the injury is not yet known.

Bradish (9-6, 3.03 ERA) struck out four Rockies in a row during a stretch in which he retired 11 of 12 from the third inning into the sixth. His only rough patch came to start the third, when he allowed three consecutive hits -- a double and two singles -- and the Rockies took a 2-0 lead.

“I thought I threw the ball well. They put some good swings on some good pitches,” Bradish said. “Not too many balls hit hard, but just found holes. They have a good offense, so that’s part of it, but I was able to settle down after that third inning.”

Bradish struck out eight and walked one on 87 pitches. He was lifted after Harold Castro doubled leading off the seventh inning.

“He threw outstanding. He just had that one tough inning,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Once again, great curveball, great slider. Overpowering fastball. Cuts, sinker.”

Bradish is 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA over five starts in August and the Orioles are 5-0 in those games. He has struck out 35 batters and walked nine, five coming in a no-decision against the Mets on Aug. 6.

Baltimore got a run back in the fifth when Austin Hays was thrown out at home, but the Orioles challenged, and it was ruled that catcher Elias Díaz blocked the plate. Ryan Mountcastle gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead with a two-run double in the sixth and later scored to make it 4-2. Anthony Santander’s RBI double increased the lead to three runs in the seventh.

Without Bautista, who has 33 saves, Hyde had to mix and match over the final three innings.

Left-hander Danny Coulombe struck out two of the three batters he faced in the seventh. Right-hander Jacob Webb came in to get the final out but got in trouble in the eighth, allowing a walk and an RBI double. Left-hander DL Hall, called up Saturday from Triple-A Norfolk, was touched for a bunt single that put runners on first and third. He induced a double play, which allowed Colorado to pull within one, then retired Alan Trejo to end the inning.

Right-hander Yennier Cano came on to pitch the ninth. The umpires examined Cano's glove when he entered and ultimately he was forced to use a new one.

“I guess he patted his glove with the rosin bag,” Hyde said. “They wanted him to get the rosin off. We asked for a towel, and they felt like we needed a wet towel, and then we just needed a new glove.”

Despite the delay, Cano retired three straight Rockies on 10 pitches to earn his fifth save.

Hyde was asked if that was how he drew it up for his bullpen.

“It’s going to be a different drawing nightly probably,” he said. “I’m not really sure. This all happened at one o’clock this afternoon. I’ll probably do things the way I did when Bautista wasn’t available and try to give these guys the best pockets that we can.”

For Cano, it was a satisfying moment, filling in for the teammate he travels to the park with each day.

“I think my emotions were a little high and I just wanted to do my best impression of him,” Cano said via an interpreter. “Go out there and complete the job and do whatever he would do.”

And after it was over, Bautista was there to congratulate him.

“It was awesome,” Cano said. “Aside from just being my teammate, he’s one of my best friends here. It’s great being able to give him that handshake knowing that we got the job done and getting that hug from him was great.”