BALTIMORE — The Orioles’ pitching staff has called Jordan Lyles their dad, a moniker he wears with a smile. They see the career he’s had, its longevity and its durability, and wouldn’t be opposed to mimicking it. They shadow him in his preparation, the way he carries himself, and take nuggets into their own personas.
And as it turns out, they can nearly one-up him.
Kyle Bradish’s 8 2/3 scoreless innings in the Orioles’ 2-0 win over the Astros on Thursday night — an emotional day as the city welcomed Trey Mancini back to Camden Yards — was a herculean effort by an O’s pitcher for the second straight game. Lyles threw the club’s first complete game of the season a day prior against Detroit.
But Bradish was nearly flawless, taking a perfect game bid through 5 2/3 frames. He was ultimately tagged for just two hits against 10 strikeouts.
The end result? Nearly the Orioles’ first “Maddux” — a shutout on fewer than 100 pitches — that would have been the club’s first since Sidney Ponson on June 28, 2001. As Bradish conceded a two-out single in the ninth on his 100th pitch, manager Brandon Hyde came out to pull him to a spate of boos.
Bradish walked off the mound to a round of cheers. And the Orioles, who got a two-run single from Rougned Odor in the second inning, went on to high-five over their 78th victory of the season.