The Orioles took a different approach to today’s series finale against the Blue Jays. Be the team with the big lead. Dare the opponent to rally in the ninth. Get in the driver’s seat early and try not to crash.

The result was the same, but with a lot less anxiety and drama.

Colton Cowser capped a five-run third inning with a three-run homer and Kyle Bradish carried a shutout into the seventh in a 9-5 victory before an announced crowd of 34,476 at Camden Yards.

The month ends with the Orioles at 28-32, including 7-3 on the homestand, the first one they’ve won this season. They went 13-16 in May and trail the Blue Jays by one game for third place after splitting the series.

An off-day Monday is followed by trips to Boston and Toronto.

“I think it’s really good just to go 7-3 at any point,” Cowser said. “It being a homestand is really cool. Bringing the fans in and getting them excited. I’m not going to say the team needed it, but I think it’s one of those things that is encouraging and keeps morale up, keeps confidence up, and hopefully continue to build momentum.”

“Boys played well, they competed, great at bats,” said manager Craig Albernaz. “Defense was awesome. Base running. It was just, we were playing the baseball that we’re capable of. Just all the work that these guys have been putting in relentlessly every day, we’re starting to see the rewards now, and against some really good teams. It’s been fun to watch. Especially with the starting pitching. The starting pitching has really taken a step forward and it’s been awesome.”

Bradish was charged with an unearned run and four hits in seven innings. A 22-pitch seventh left his count at 94.

The rotation has allowed 18 earned runs in 68 innings in the last 12 games for a 2.38 ERA.

“I feel like as a whole, starting staff, we felt like we were putting our team kind of in a hole to start the games and not pitching to what we were capable of,” Bradish said. “We’ve had some conversations about it, about just attacking hitting and putting them on their heels. I think you see that from every guy. There’s a lot more confidence out there and a lot more challenging hitters and filling up the strike zone.”

Tyler Wells surrendered four runs in the eighth, the last three on Yohendrick Piñango’s homer that became the 136th to land on Eutaw Street.

Spencer Miles gave up six runs in three innings. Cowser had an RBI groundout in the second before his 424-foot, three-run blast. Gunnar Henderson singled in the third, Adley Rutschman walked, Pete Alonso singled for the second time to score Henderson, Samuel Basallo doubled for a 3-0 lead, and Cowser hit his third homer in eight days.

“It feels great,” Cowser said. “I feel like it’s something that I’m capable of, and I just felt like I went through a little stretch there where I wasn’t. And so, just trying to be patient and continue to get my work in and now to be able to do stuff is really good.”

“We all know what Cowser is capable of and it’s no secret he’s been grinding, but he’s been working,” Albernaz said. “It’s been getting better, his at-bat quality, and especially this homestand, the ability to do damage and get off his swing and not miss it, especially pitches in the strike zone. It’s been really impressive.

“I think early in the year, he’s usually just missing those or just clipping them, but now he’s getting his swing off, he’s staying on plane and he’s staying balanced and grounded through his swing. So it’s been awesome to see.”

Basallo was halfway to the cycle after his single in the fifth, a nice recovery from that pinching sensation he felt in his upper pectoral yesterday in the ninth inning that made him release the bat, drop to one knee and grimace in pain.

“I feel like I answer this same question all the time when it comes to Samuel, and that’s a good thing,” Albernaz said. “He’s so young at 21, and doing what he’s doing behind the plate, he’s been outstanding defensively, calling the game, the investment with the pitches, and also at the plate. It’s it’s a real at bat. We’re asking a lot of a young hitter to hit in the middle of our order, hitting five pretty much every time, hitting behind Pete, it’s not an easy task. But Sammy’s at-bat quality, can really hit the ball the other way, stays in against lefties, and obviously his power to all parts of the field. But with Sammy, it’s been a joy to watch, and the future’s bright.”

Basallo posted a .338 average and .973 OPS in May and he hit a lot of balls hard.

“Yeah, he’s a freak,” Cowser said. “He’s someone who has a stupid amount of juice and really knows what he’s doing, really knows zone awareness, knows what he does well and is extremely good at it. But also, he’s good enough where even when he’s not timed up for something, he’s still able to get there barrel on it and it can go a long way. Really encouraging to see that, and it’s something this team needs.”

Said Basallo through interpreter Brandon Quinones: “Just trying to make contact, do the simple things, not trying to do too much at the plate, move runners over, things like that, doing whatever I  can to help runners score. Just trying to keep it simple at the plate right now.”

Hayden Juenger made his major league debut in the sixth and the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs and scored three times to take a 9-0 lead. Taylor Ward had an RBI on a fielder’s choice, Henderson doubled in a run and Rutschman had a sacrifice fly.

Bradish at his best

In Bradish’s last five starts, he’s allowed six earned runs over 31 1/3 innings to lower his season ERA to 3.44. He was in total control today.

Nathan Lukes had a leadoff single in the first and Bradish retired 18 of the next 21.

Fifteen of 20 pitches were strikes through the second, 21 of 32 through the third and 29 of 46 through the fourth. Bradish was at the 72-pitch mark through the sixth with only two hits allowed.

“I feel very good,” he said. “These past few outings I feel like I’m competing a lot better than I did in the beginning of the year. Command’s gotten a lot better. I just feel like I’m in a really good spot right now.”

Back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh finally made the bullpen stir. Charles McAdoo grounded into a force, but Jackson Holliday sailed his throw to first and a run scored.

“He was outstanding,” Albernaz said. “Our starting pitching all homestand was was awesome. But KB, particularly, we talk about the curveball usage, it was great today. Both breaking balls, curveball and the slider, were outstanding and throwing a ton of strikes, being efficient, and both fastballs were playing in the zone. He was just attacking hitters.”

“That’s the Bradish we know,” Basallo said.

Seeing more small ball

Leody Taveras laid down a sacrifice bunt yesterday and he did it again today in the second inning after Alonso’s leadoff single and Basallo’s walk.

Catcher Brandon Valenzuela threw out Taveras on a close play at first, and Alonso scored on Cowser’s groundout.

The Orioles began the day with eight sacrifices to rank 15th in the majors, and No. 9 today moved them into a tie for 11th. They were last in 2025 with four.

Sánchez hit by ball

The game was delayed in the sixth during a mound visit when Blue Jays right fielder Jesús Sánchez was struck on the right wrist by a ball thrown from the stands.

The ball and Sánchez’s glove were on the ground as he held the wrist and walked toward teammate Daulton Varsho. Manager John Schneider and an athletic trainer checked on him and Piñango entered the game as a replacement. Precautionary X-rays were negative and Sánchez has a bruised wrist.

Video from the Peacock broadcast appeared to show Sánchez looking toward the stands and holding up his glove. He was hit by a young fan as he turned away, an apparent accident based on Sánchez gesturing as if expecting a throw. That wasn’t the case.

The fan and the adult accompanying him were removed from the ballpark.

“I wasn’t trying to play catch right there,” Sánchez said through an interpreter. “I just looked at them and they thought maybe that they want them to throw the ball. It was a complete misunderstanding. It hurts a little bit, but thank God it’s nothing bad or a fracture. I’ll be all right.”

“I just saw Sanchez with his glove on the ground, and I just heard that a fan threw a ball,” Albernaz said. “That’s something that I know we’re looking into. We don’t want anyone getting hurt or fans throwing the ball on the field or anything like that.”

Helsley update

Closer Ryan Helsley made it through his first bullpen session yesterday without any discomfort in his right elbow and is trending in the proper direction for a return next month.

“It felt good. Everything was coming out good,” he said.

Helsley will throw in the bullpen a few more times with higher intensity, “and then I think when we get back from this road trip, just see where I’m at talk about games, things like that,” he said.

Helsley hasn’t pitched since April 28 due to inflammation in his elbow.

Asked whether June remained a realistic goal, he said, “Yeah, I think so. Right now, I’m just trying to take it day-by-day and try to hit every checklist on the paper and then go from there.”

Roster moves and minor league transactions

Left-hander Dietrich Enns cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles designated Enns for assignment on Tuesday when they recalled lefty Nick Raquet. Enns has appeared in 13 games and posted a 3.94 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 16 innings. He’s walked 11 and struck out 13.

A team claiming Enns would have been responsible for the remainder of his $2.625 million salary.

Outfielder Pedro Tovar signed a minor league contract after the Brewers released him, and he’s assigned to the Dominican Summer League.

Tovar, 19, is a native of Venezuela who’s hit .259/.361/.360 in 94 games over three seasons.