The memories aren’t all crystal clear for Orioles reliever Cam Sanders. He was a young child when his father pitched in the majors. But their connection is undeniable.

It’s helped to shape him as a player and as an adult.

Scott Sanders made his major league debut in 1993 with the Padres, three years before Cam was born. His last season in baseball played out in 2004 in the Pacific Coast League.

“I kind of remember going to the games, but I was really young,” Cam said. “I don’t remember any conversations or anything. But I remember sitting in the stadium and watching games.”

Sanders knew that his father’s chosen profession and all of the perks were a big deal. Kids pick up on it in a hurry.

“By the time I was 3, yeah,” he said.

The Orioles made a smart pickup by trading for Cam Sanders in a July cash transaction with the Pirates. He earned his first major league win and save in back-to-back games in Houston, was optioned and returned about a month later.

With high-leverage moments certain to find just about everyone in the bullpen, Sanders recorded saves in consecutive games on Aug. 14-15 at Tropicana Field. Ten of his 13 outings have been scoreless, and struck out two in the ninth inning last night while retiring the side in order.

Scott Sanders pitched for four teams in seven seasons, including a second stint with the Padres, and posted a 4.86 ERA in 235 games. He made 88 starts.

Post-majors life included four different Triple-A teams in 2000 in the Indians, Angels, Marlins and Athletics organizations and 24 games with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan in 2001.

“That was awesome,” Cam Sanders said of his time spent  in Tokyo. “I really enjoyed it. Just like, the culture was awesome. Everything was so clean and well-kept and the games were electric. They had all kinds of noise-makers and chants and all kinds of stuff. It was pretty cool. I really enjoyed Japan when we were there.”

Being 5 years old didn’t make it any easier for Cam to get comfortable with the language.

“I learned a couple of things here and there, “ he said, “but I can’t really construct a full sentence.”

The baseball world is filled with coincidences. Father and son were both drafted by the Padres, Scott in the first round in 1990 out of Nicholls State and Cam in the 18th round in 2017 out of Northwest Florida State College. Cam didn’t sign, transferred to LSU and was selected by the Cubs a year later in the 12th round – Scott’s last major league team.

“I felt like, I can get better, do better, and I was committed to LSU at the time,” Cam said. “I kind of had a thought. I was like, I don’t want to retrace my dad’s footsteps like step by step, you know? So I was like, I’m gonna go back to LSU and play a year there and try to prove myself a little more. And then I got drafted six rounds earlier the next year by the Cubs, which he also played for, so I was like, this is still really cool.”

A supportive father, totally on board with Cam’s college decision, remains a big influence.

“I grew up in the clubhouse, so something that I’ve always loved,” Cam said. “Just showing up to the field every day and going to work. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, so this is like normal to me, you know?

“He gives me advice on pretty much everything – life, baseball, travel. Basically anything that he’s went through in his career, he does his best to tell me everything that he’s learned and try to help benefit me.”

*More on Shane Baz, who started last night, held the Red Sox to one run in 6 1/3 innings, and tied for the major league lead with 15 losses in 20 decisions.

Unreal.

Baz has allowed three earned runs or fewer in four straight starts, 11 of his last 12 and 18 of 20 since May 15. He’s received 19 runs of support over his last 14 outings.

“I’ve never really thought about that, you know, just in my career,” Baz said. “So it’s kind of easy to not think about it or dwell on it or stuff like that. I’m just trying to do my job and just pitch as well as I can, and just give us a chance. I’ll never blame anybody else for something happening or anything like that. Yeah, it’s easy to not think about.”

The Orioles are 7-21 in games started by Baz, the lowest team winning percentage in the majors in a minimum 25 games.

The only Oriole with a lower team winning percentage in his starts was Don Larsen (5-23, .179) in 1954.