Orioles outlast Nationals in 12-inning thriller, 7-6, to extend streak of avoiding sweeps

WASHINGTON — After Craig Kimbrel’s ninth-inning problems resurfaced, the Orioles needed a lift. Then, after the Nationals erased a two-run deficit in the 11th, they needed another. The Orioles got both on go-ahead swings by Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo in a chaotic, seesaw 7-6 victory over Washington in 12 innings Wednesday night.

The Orioles entered the ninth with a 3-1 lead, handing the ball to Kimbrel for the first time since he was pulled with two outs in a save situation Saturday. The veteran closer gave it back under the same circumstances, unraveling with two outs in the ninth. No. 8 batter Eddie Rosario took him deep for a solo home run and back-to-back hitters drew walks against him, forcing manager Brandon Hyde to pull Kimbrel one out short once again. Left-hander Keegan Akin allowed CJ Abrams to drive in the tying run with an RBI single to send the game to extra innings.

Mountcastle appeared to put the Orioles (24-12) ahead for good with a two-run home run off former teammate Hunter Harvey in the top of the 11th, but Washington battled back to score twice in the bottom half of the frame before Mateo drove in the winning run with an RBI single. He then scored an insurance run on a wild pitch for good measure after the Nationals recorded two defensive errors to throw the game away.

After Albert Suárez pitched a scoreless 10th before coughing up the lead in the 11th, Jacob Webb entered in the 12th and allowed one run before recording his second save of the season. With the win, the Orioles extended their streak of not being swept in the regular season to 103 consecutive series, the longest in American League history and the MLB’s longest since World War II.

Kimbrel has failed to finish the ninth inning in four of his past five outings, allowing six earned runs and recording three blown saves since starting the season with an 0.82 ERA over his first 11 games. The Orioles’ most significant free agent signing of the offseason was acquired to step in for the injured Félix Bautista, last year’s winner of the Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year Award. He’s now blown more saves in the past two weeks than Bautista did over his final three months of 2023.

Bradish impresses in second start

Right-hander Kyle Bradish, an afterthought by game’s end, made his second start of the season after his return Thursday from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. Bradish pitched five innings of one-run ball, extending the Orioles’ streak of three runs or fewer allowed to nine straight games.

While their offense was still stagnant at times — the Orioles didn’t register an official at-bat with runners in scoring position until the automatic runner was placed at second base in the 10th inning — the slump appeared to come at a good time with Baltimore’s pitching staff hitting its stride. Bradish, who struck out nine with four hits, two walks and a hit batter, actually raised the Orioles’ rotation ERA dating to April 29 from 1.47 to 1.50. That mark leads the American League over that span.

After falling one out short of qualifying for the win last week, Bradish worked around some early pitch count troubles before settling in to get through five innings. His final frame was his best: Bradish struck out the side against the Nationals’ top-of-the-order hitters Abrams, Luis García Jr. and Nick Senzel. He averaged 95.2 mph with his sinker and maxed out at 98.1, throwing the second-fastest pitch Statcast has tracked in his MLB career behind only a 98.4-mph fastball he threw in June 2022.

Bradish, who entered the game with no runs allowed in two career starts against Washington, did run into some jams early. He allowed the Nationals to put runners on second and third in the first inning before recording back-to-back strikeouts of Senzel and Jesse Winker. Washington then scraped a run across in the second on an RBI single by Trey Lipscomb and again put two runners in scoring position. Bradish got out of the second having thrown 44 pitches but needed just 46 to get through the next three frames.

Offense wakes up

After the Orioles were shut out in the first game of the series, Anthony Santander gave them their first run in 12 innings with a solo blast to left field in the top of the fourth. He then saved a run defensively with a running catch to rob Rosario of extra bases and an RBI in the bottom half of the frame and Gunnar Henderson put Baltimore ahead for good with a solo home run of his own in the sixth.

Henderson’s long ball was his 11th of the season, second in MLB behind the Atlanta Braves’ Marcell Ozuna. The Orioles’ star shortstop had gone seven straight games without a home run, his longest such streak of the year.

The two home runs were a welcomed sight for the Orioles after they squandered their first scoring chance in the second. Jordan Westburg tried to score from first on a deep double to left by Colton Cowser but was thrown out at home by a relay throw from Abrams.

The Orioles’ young duo got a second chance to get on the scoreboard in the seventh, however, with Cowser driving Westburg in on a sacrifice fly for his 20th RBI. Cowser, who was hitting .133 over his past 16 games, finished 2 for 4 with both hits coming against Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker.

Around the horn

— Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez threw off a mound Wednesday for the first time since he hit the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation April 30. He tested out his entire repertoire over 15 pitches. Hyde said Rodriguez could avoid making a rehabilitation start if he’s ready to return when first eligible May 15. On whether his IL stint could help him stay healthy the rest of the season, Rodriguez said, “You don’t want to miss any starts, but if it helps you in the long run, obviously it’s a long season. I want to be healthy for September and October and that’s the goal. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish.”

— While the outlook for Rodriguez is promising, fellow right-hander Tyler Wells still has yet to begin throwing after the Orioles put him on the IL with elbow inflammation April 16. He reported to the club’s spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla., this week to rest while he waits for the inflammation to subside. Both Wells and Hyde have maintained that he has suffered no setbacks.

— Hyde wouldn’t commit to whether outfielder Austin Hays (calf strain) will be activated during the Orioles’ weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hays has appeared in two rehab games with Double-A Bowie, going 4 for 7 with two home runs and a double. Outfielders Heston Kjerstad (2 for 10, .585 OPS) and Ryan McKenna (3 for 8, 1.569 OPS) are the leading candidates to return to Triple-A Norfolk once Hays returns.