Lots of this, that and the other

No pitcher in the history of the Baltimore Orioles has thrown a perfect game.

No one could have anticipated that a rookie carrying a 6.70 ERA in his first 10 major league starts would get within four outs.

Brandon Young is a big fan of classic rock. His outing last was an instant classic, and boy, did he rock. He retired 23 batters in a row before former Oriole Ramón Urías reached on an infield single in the eighth inning in the Orioles’ 7-0 victory over the Astros at Daikin Park.

Urías sent a chopper to the left side and Young made a barehand grab. He threw off his back foot and the ball sailed past first baseman Coby Mayo for a hit and error.

Young probably had time to plant and throw but understandably was in a rush.  

Family and friends who made the 90-minute drive from Young’s hometown of Lumberton, Texas stood to cheer him. And he maintained his composure by getting the final out. Twenty-five up, 24 down.

Young hadn’t gone more than six innings and lasted only three in his previous start, surrendering six runs and chastising himself afterward, but he was cruising against the first-place team in the American League West. He threw only 74 pitches through the seventh, getting weak contact, routine fly balls. Making history seemed like a real possibility. 

The defense was feeling the pressure, too.

Dylan Carlson almost ran through the wall in foul territory chasing Jesús Sánchez’s fly ball with two outs in the seventh inning. Sánchez grounded to Mayo, whose throw to Young forced the 6-foot-6 right-hander to reach back for the ball. Another inch or so and it’s an error.

Mayo bent forward in relief. Young’s expression didn’t change.

Yainer Diaz drove a fly ball 368 feet to right-center field with one out in the eighth. Greg Allen called for the ball, Daniel Johnson cut in front of him to make the catch, and they collided.

The Orioles have thrown six no-hitters, the last by John Means on May 5, 2021 in Seattle. Perfection almost came last night to a pitcher who signed as a free agent in 2020 after every team passed on him in the truncated draft. He tied Mike Mussina on Aug. 4, 1998 for the second-longest stretch of perfect innings in club history. He settled for his first major league win.

* The Orioles expect to add an outfielder to their active roster on Sunday.

This is not a Dylan Beavers reference.

Beavers led off and served as designated hitter last night for Triple-A Norfolk in Jacksonville. The Orioles didn’t select his contract. They didn’t fly him to Houston and wait for the Astros to start right-handers the last two games of the series.

As always, stay tuned.

Colton Cowser remains on the concussion injured list, but he should be reinstated this weekend, according interim manager Tony Mansolino, who provided an update during his media session.

Cowser hasn’t played since Aug. 6 in Philadelphia, when he slammed into the left field wall while catching Harrison Bader’s fly ball. He has three hits in his last 24 at-bats, and he’s homered once since July 5.

The Orioles have three outfielders listed on their active roster: Allen, Johnson and Carlson. But Jeremiah Jackson has made eight starts in right and Ryan Noda has made three.

Jackson doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. He had two more hits last night, a single at 108.8 mph off the bat and another single that drove in the Orioles’ fifth run. He could be a utility candidate next season, especially with Urías traded to the Astros.

There isn’t full trust in the outfield defense. He gets subbed late in games. Allen pinch-ran for him last night.

“I don’t know if ‘comfortable’ is the right word, but I definitely feel like I’m getting my footing,” he said Thursday afternoon. “There’s a lot of good guys around here that are helping me get better every day. Just to be in a group like this, it’s easy to get better, and it’s been awesome.”

Jackson’s triple Wednesday was his second in his first 10 major league games. Only two other Orioles have collected that many in their first 10: Al Bumbry in 1972 and Bobby Grich in 1970.

* Johnson became the 32^nd different hitter used by the Orioles this season, the most in the majors. The White Sox are next with 31.

The Orioles have reached their highest total before September since the 2018 team had 34.

Thirty-one of the hitters this season are position players. Don’t forget about Trevor Rogers’ two at-bats in Texas.

* Tyler Wells threw 77 pitches last night, 52 strikes, over five innings in his rehab start with Norfolk.

Wells allowed three runs and six hits with one walk, five strikeouts and a home run. He’s likely got one or two more outings before the Orioles reinstate him.

* Eight different Orioles have recorded a save this season – Félix Bautista with 19, Keegan Akin, Bryan Baker and Seranthony Domínguez with two, and Yennier Cano, Dietrich Enns, Corbin Martin and Gregory Soto with one.

Last year’s club had nine different players with a save, led by Craig Kimbrel with 23. Domínguez had 10, Cano five, Cionel Pérez and Jacob Webb two, and Akin, Danny Coulombe, Cole Irvin and Dillon Tate each had one.

Nine is tied for second-most in franchise history behind the 10 in 1987. Name them.

Never mind.

Tom Niedenfuer led the pack with 13, followed by Ken Dixon (five), Mark Williamson (three), Don Aase (two), Jack O’Connor (two), Doug Corbett (one), Luis DeLeon (one), Mike Griffin (one), John Habyan (one) and Dave Schmidt (one).

* Akin has allowed only two of 25 inherited runners to score (eight percent), the second-best percentage in the majors yesterday behind the Dodgers’ Ben Casparius, who’s stranded all 23.

Akin’s mark would set the single-season franchise record held by Mark Thurmond (10.5 percent) in 1988.

* Gunnar Henderson leads the team in doubles, triples and hits. He could become the first Oriole to do it consecutive seasons since Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson in 1960-62.

More Henderson: He began last night leading the majors with a .511 average (23-for-45) with runners in scoring position since June 1. He had a sacrifice fly and RBI single.

And more Henderson: He hasn’t committed an error since June 8.

* Adley Rutschman has played in 458 games in four seasons. He’ll join Grich as the only Orioles to record at least 450 hits and 250 walks in the first 500 games of his career.

* Catcher Caden Bodine, the 30^th-overall selection in this year’s draft out of Coastal Carolina, is sizzling through three games of his professional career.

Bodine had a single and RBI last night and is 6-for-11 with Class A Delmarva.

MLB Pipeline ranks Bodine as the No. 10 prospect in the organization. He was the Orioles’ second pick after Auburn catcher/outfielder Ike Irish.