ST. LOUIS - Getting seven innings last night from rookie Kyle Bradish kept manager Brandon Hyde from tearing through his bullpen. A three-run lead made it necessary to consider closer options with Jorge López on the bereavement list.

Dillon Tate took the ball in the ninth, confirming that he was the first choice – as Hyde indicated in the dugout during batting practice. Félix Bautista inherited a bit of a mess with two runners on base, two outs and the Orioles clinging to a 5-3 lead.

Bautista struck out Tyler O’Neill for his first major league save in his first opportunity.

It probably won’t be his last.

Bautista will get more chances as Hyde’s confidence in him increases. Bautista has allowed three runs in 12 2/3 innings, struck out 16 batters and surrendered only one home run.

ST. LOUIS – Temperatures in the 90s, an unexpected change to the lineup, and umpire Ángel Hernández calling balls and strikes.

This wasn’t the sweetest welcome for a team that went 19 years between visits to St. Louis, but the Orioles sure made the best of it.

Kyle Bradish struck out 11 batters over seven innings in his third major league start, Cedric Mullins and Tyler Nevin hit home runs, and the Orioles hung on to defeat the Cardinals 5-3 in their first game at the newest Busch Stadium.

Bradish carried a shutout into the sixth before Harrison Bader’s two-run inside-the-park homer. He earned his first major league win.

Brendan Donovan began the ninth with a home run off Dillon Tate and two more batters reached, but Félix Bautista struck out Tyler O'Neill for his first major league save and the Orioles improved to 13-17. They’ve won three in a row, five of six and seven of 10.

ST. LOUIS – Ramón Urías has been scratched from tonight’s lineup for an undisclosed reason. The Orioles will provide more information later.

Urías was supposed to bat sixth and play second base. Chris Owings has left a three-man bench to replace him.

Here’s the new lineup:

Cedric Mullins CF
Trey Mancini DH
Anthony Santander LF
Austin Hays RF
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Tyler Nevin 3B
Jorge Mateo SS
Robinson Chirinos C
Chris Owings 2B

Kyle Bradish RHP

ST. LOUIS – Austin Hays remains the cleanup hitter and is playing right field tonight at Busch Stadium, where the Orioles open a three-game series against the Cardinals.

Per Orioles public relations, Hays ranks among major league leaders in the following categories since April 15:

* Tied for first in hits with 32
* Second in batting average at .386
* Fourth in OPS at 1.037
* Tied for fourth in total bases with 49
* Tied for fourth in on-base percentage at .447
* Tied for fifth in doubles with eight
* Seventh in slugging percentage at .590

Anthony Santander is in left field tonight.

Ramón Urías is the second baseman and Tyler Nevin is starting at third.

ST. LOUIS – Travis Lakins Sr. is back in the Orioles bullpen for their series against the Cardinals that begins tonight at Busch Stadium.

Reliever Jorge López has been placed on the bereavement list this afternoon due to the death of his grandfather. Lakins was on the taxi squad.

The Orioles optioned Lakins after Thursday’s game to create a roster spot for left-hander Logan Allen but kept him in Baltimore as the 27^th man for Sunday’s doubleheader.

López is allowed to be away from the team for three to seven games. The Orioles travel to Detroit after Thursday’s series finale against the Royals.

Lakins hasn’t pitched since May 1 against the Red Sox, when he tossed two scoreless innings, returned for the ninth and served up his second grand slam of the season.

The Orioles finally made it to St. Louis.

The charter wasn’t delayed, as far as I know. I’m referring to how they haven’t traveled there since 2003 and are getting their first look at New Busch Stadium, which opened three years later.

Games in April 2020 were canceled due to the pandemic, which led to regional travel and a missed opportunity.

Better much later than never.

Manager Brandon Hyde has experienced plenty of baseball in St. Louis while a coach on the Cubs staff. He enjoys the atmosphere and has described it to his players.

The Orioles have reached the end of their homestand. A makeup game today against the Royals, followed by their flight to St. Louis.

Tyler Nevin is starting at third base after playing right field yesterday in Game 2.

Trey Mancini is the first baseman and Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter.

Anthony Bemboom is catching.

Cedric Mullins is 13-for-36 (.361) with five doubles and two home runs during an eight-game hitting streak.

The Orioles were supposed to be off today, but Saturday’s rainout has forced a noon game onto their schedule.

I’m off anyway, but only when it comes to ballpark duty. The mailbag is filling up. I can’t ignore it any longer.

Time to take a letter dump.

You ask, I answer, etc. This is the latest sequel to the original. And as you know, sequels usually disappoint.

I’ll try my best to slow the trend.

The Orioles played two games today in first-pitch temperatures of 51 and 57 degrees.

They also heated up.

A disappointing, defense-deficient loss in the opener was followed by a 4-2 victory over the Royals before an announced doubleheader crowd of 19,893 at Camden Yards, with left-hander Bruce Zimmermann notching his second quality start.

The Orioles improved to 11-17 by winning for the third time in four games. They wrap up the series at noon tomorrow, their third game in 24 hours.

Zimmermann allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. He retired 14 of 16 batters before Salvador Perez doubled in the sixth and scored on Hunter Dozier’s single.

The left field wall can’t keep every baseball in front of it. The Orioles have cleared it a few times in defiance of the new measurements, but there are more denials than dugout celebrations.

Ryan Mountcastle thought he hit a game-tying, two-run homer off Kansas City’s Zack Greinke in the fifth inning of the opening game of today's doubleheader, but umpires held him at second base with a run-scoring double. The Orioles lost the challenge, took the lead, lost it and fell to the Royals 6-4 in Game 1 at Camden Yards.

Rougned Odor was a hero in the seventh with his go-ahead, two-run double, but he committed an error with two outs in the ninth by failing to backhand Nicky Lopez’s grounder, Jorge López threw the ball into right field on a pickoff attempt and Michael A. Taylor singled to left.

A dramatic swing in the game and Odor’s afternoon.

Cionel Pérez allowed back-to-back singles, with Salvador Perez bringing home Taylor with an insurance run.

Reliever Travis Lakins Sr. didn’t leave Baltimore after the Orioles optioned him Thursday night. They knew the forecast left them vulnerable for a doubleheader over the weekend.

Lakins is the 27th man today and will report to Triple-A Norfolk after the nightcap.

“We kept him ready,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Lakins allowed nine runs and 12 hits in 8 1/3 innings. He surrendered three home runs, including two grand slams.

“I wasn’t pitching well, so I knew there was a chance,” he said of the demotion. “It’s just the business. I wasn’t surprised. I knew it was coming. I’ve got to throw the ball better and put myself in a better position to not get optioned.”

The Orioles and Royals will try again today.

The weather has the final word, but it’s much kinder this morning.

Friday night’s game was postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a traditional doubleheader. Jordan Lyles is pushed back again to today, and the Royals are countering with Zack Greinke.

Bruce Zimmermann and left-hander Daniel Lynch start the second game of the twinbill.

Lyles has registered a 4.50 ERA and 1.615 WHIP in four starts, with 32 hits allowed in 26 innings. He’s 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 0.888 WHIP in five career starts against the Royals, surrendering eight runs in 32 2/3 innings and walking only two batters.

Today’s forecast for a traditional, throwback-style doubleheader calls for cloudy skies. Rather than do my usual over-thinking about why we say “skies” when there’s only one, I’ll simply appreciate the dry conditions and celebrate mothers everywhere who perform a job much harder and more important than mine.

The farm system keeps dividing our attention, and in the best possible way.

Adley Rutschman is back at Triple-A Norfolk, with media and fans debating his debut date in Baltimore. Must happen at home, right? Like Matt Wieters on May 29, 2009.

Is May 16 too soon, a Monday when the Orioles open a four-game series against the Yankees? Otherwise, they could select his contract May 20 to begin a weekend series against the Rays.

The Orioles aren’t home again until May 31 against the Mariners, after they play three games in the Bronx and five – yes, five – in Boston.

The competition is playful but also motivating. Who’s the first to surrender an earned run? Who blinks first?

And eventually, who is the first to join the Orioles bullpen for his major league debut.

Nick Vespi, an 18th-round pick in the 2015 draft, made his 10th appearance with Triple-A Norfolk last night and has allowed three unearned runs and six hits in 11 2/3 innings. He's walked two batters and struck out 17, the numbers that jump highest from his stat sheet.

Cole Uvila, chosen from the Rangers organization in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft, allowed his first unearned run Thursday night with the automatic runner scoring in the 10th inning. He’s permitted only four hits and struck out 14 batters over 12 innings, but also issued seven walks.

“When it comes to the preparation, they’re both as good as it gets,” said Norfolk pitching coach Justin Ramsey. “They come in with a plan every day and they’re always looking through the notes, the scouting reports. They know where we’re trying to go with the guys. They take pride in knowing how they want to attack them. And obviously, the stuff has played very well.”

The Orioles optioned reliever Travis Lakins Sr. to Triple-A Norfolk after last night's game to create room on the active roster for left-hander Logan Allen, claimed on waivers yesterday from the Guardians.

Lakins was most vulnerable among the bullpen bunch, surrendering three home runs, including two grand slams, and nine runs total in 8 1/3 innings. The first slam came after he inherited three runners from Chris Ellis in Anaheim.

Allen gives the Orioles four left-handers in their nine-man bullpen, including Keegan Akin, Paul Fry and Cionel Pérez. 

Four relievers combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings last night in a 5-3 win over the Twins.

Allen is wearing No. 61.

Ryan Mountcastle wasn’t keeping count in his head. Jorge Mateo and Rougned Odor also didn’t know. Three infielders just living in the moment.

Double plays were turned in crisp fashion Wednesday night, but the math was fuzzy.

The Orioles tied the club record with five in a 9-4 win over the Twins. They did so within the first seven innings. It moved from convenient to comical.

Mountcastle stood at first base and waited for the throws, the first coming from Mateo in the opening inning after the shortstop made a basket catch of Carlos Correa’s popup with his back to the infield, spun and doubled off Luis Arraez.

“That play he made was pretty crazy,” said Mountcastle, who wasn’t anticipating a second out.

The Orioles concluded their series tonight against the Twins, readied for the Royals to arrive at Camden Yards and discussed the roster move that’s pending. Perhaps straining to be heard over music blaring to celebrate the win and a split.

The 26 players who ate and dressed after a 5-3 victory over Twins, made possible by Austin Hays’ tie-breaking solo home run off Jhoan Duran in the bottom of the eighth inning, apparently won’t stay together. Somebody's got to go.

Left-hander Logan Allen is expected to report after the Orioles claimed him on waivers this afternoon from the Guardians. The rotation lost John Means and Chris Ellis to season-ending surgeries. The bullpen holds nine relievers and will be tweaked to accommodate Allen, with Travis Lakins Sr. the most vulnerable.

Manager Brandon Hyde used four tonight behind starter Spenser Watkins, with Jorge López getting the last four outs and the win. The Orioles hit five home runs, including two by Ryan Mountcastle, who went back-to-back with Hays in the eighth.

Who needs August humidity?

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde expects Logan Allen to report to the club on Friday, with the left-hander’s role to be determined later.

Allen was claimed on waivers today from the Guardians and added to a 40-man roster that’s full again. A corresponding 26-man roster move is pending.

“I don’t know much about him,” Hyde said. “(Tony) Mansolino managed him a few years ago. I had heard of him, I have seen him pitch. It’s a left-hander with a really good arm. Was a starter coming up, and I think we’re just going to take a look at a guy with a high ceiling and exceptional arm.”

Most of Allen’s appearances in the minors and 15 of 30 in the majors came as a starter. The Orioles could slot him in the rotation or use him as another left-hander in a bullpen that currently has Cionel Pérez, Paul Fry and Keegan Akin.

“It just happened,” Hyde said. “See what happens when he shows up.”

Catcher Adley Rutschman and left-hander DL Hall made brief stops at Double-A Bowie before heading to the next level.

Rutschman and Hall are joining Triple-A Norfolk Friday in Nashville. Rutschman is scheduled to be in the lineup.

Hall, the No. 5 prospect in the system per MLBPipeline.com, made his only start with the Baysox this morning and was charged with two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked one batter, struck out six and again flashed a fastball clocked at 100 mph.

The Orioles kept Hall at extended spring training and assigned him to high Single-A Aberdeen for one start. Hall made seven starts with the Baysox last summer before sustaining a stress reaction in his left elbow.

Rutschman, the top prospect in baseball, is back with the Tides after straining his right triceps early in camp. He went 2-for-4 today and is 11-for-25 with five doubles since leaving Sarasota.

The home runs puzzle Orioles reliever Travis Lakins Sr. and do considerable damage to his ERA and efficiency with inherited runners. His confidence and support system are fine, but he sees the numbers, too.

Manager Brandon Hyde praised him for saving the bullpen on the final day in Anaheim, after Chris Ellis left in the first inning with shoulder soreness and no batters retired, an entire game needing to be covered.

Ellis was charged with one run and one hit in three innings, but he entered with the bases loaded and surrendered Jo Adell’s grand slam.

Hyde appreciated how Lakins gave the Orioles two scoreless innings against the Red Sox in Sunday’s series finale and regretted that an attempt to get three more outs from him with a 9-1 lead resulted in J.D. Martinez’s grand slam and a pitching change.

The bullpen shut out the Twins over five innings last night in a 9-4 win. Hyde used Cionel Pérez and Dillon Tate for two each and Jorge López for the ninth in a non-save situation. Lakins didn’t warm.