Leftovers for breakfast

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Adam Frazier squared to bunt twice last night against Tampa Bay reliever Robert Stephenson and didn’t make contact, both cutters missing outside the strike zone. His next attempt produced a foul ball, and finally, the sacrifice that moved automatic runner Aaron Hicks to third base.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was playing for one run. Get a sacrifice fly from rookie Colton Cowser to take the lead and send closer Félix Bautista back out for the bottom of the 10^th inning.

Hyde might not try it with any other reliever, but Bautista isn’t any other reliever.

Call him “Mountain,” and watch his ERA shrink to a mole hill.

Bautista got six outs in the Orioles’ 4-3 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field. They won’t be swept in 71 consecutive series. They’ll try to win their 19^th this season.

Hyde explained his plan to Bautista, how Mike Baumann would pitch in a tie game. Take the lead, and Bautista is following Wednesday afternoon’s save with a two-inning victory that left his ERA at 0.96, his WHIP at 0.85, and his opponents’ average at .131.

"I'm so lucky to have him," Hyde said.

“I was sitting in the locker room with (Bryan) Baker at the time and watching it," said starter Kyle Gibson, "and after the first pitch, I was telling him, ‘Man, I hope he can get through this in a few pitches and see if maybe he can go back out.'

“You never want to burn a guy. I don’t know what his situation is going to be (tonight), but you never want to go into the next day with either your closer not available or less than ready, but I think having a short inning allowed him to do that.

“To state how much faith we have when Félix is on the mound, I don’t know that I can do that and do it justice. He’s obviously, really, really good.”

The victory became official after Bautista hit Luke Raley leading off the 10^th, struck out proverbial thorn-in-the-side Randy Arozarena and got Brandon Lowe to ground into a double play.

“I don’t know how many double plays he’s gotten this year,” Gibson said, “but to end on a double play is pretty good.”

The Orioles keep finding ways to win, and last night required a veteran laying down a bunt and a rookie producing a fly ball after falling behind 0-2.

“A lot of guys on this team that are really, really good and know how to get a job done,” Gibson said. “Really, outside of that 10-game stretch that we talked about where we didn’t play our best baseball, that’s what we’ve been doing, and that’s how you compete for a division, that’s how you put yourself in a position to make a postseason run is you do the little things really well and consistently against a really good team.”

* Gunnar Henderson put himself on third base with a leadoff triple in the fourth inning, the first baserunner against Tyler Glasnow, on a simple ground ball to the left side of the infield.

What happened next was comical. Rays manager Kevin Cash didn't find it amusing.

The ball deflected off Taylor Walls’ glove and rolled down the left field line, where Randy Arozarena picked it up, took a few more steps into foul territory and made a lob throw toward the bag. No one was covering it, and Henderson didn’t break stride.

Henderson has five triples, putting him in a four-way tie for fourth on the Orioles’ all-time rookies list.

Outfielder Al Bumbry is first with 11 in 1973, the year he was named American League Rookie of the Year. He tied Rod Carew for first in the American League.

Outfielder Rich Coggins had nine in 1973, when he was sixth in voting. Catcher Andy Etchebarren finished with six triples in 1966, when the Orioles won their first World Series.

Henderson is tied with Cal Ripken Jr. (1982), Ron Hansen (1960), and Willie Tasby (1959).

* The placement of Cedric Mullins on the injured list, which coincided with the Orioles recalling reliever Logan Gillaspie, left the club with four reserves. Back to the standard alignment of 13 pitchers and 13 position players.

The five-man bench was a luxury while it lasted.

Ryan Mountcastle, Jordan Westburg and Adam Frazier sat last night against Tampa Bay right-hander Tyler Glasnow. They could return to the lineup tonight against right-hander Zach Eflin.

Mountcastle will be the first baseman or designated hitter Saturday afternoon against left-hander Shane McClanahan.

Asked this week whether he’s had a bench this good, Hyde said, “No, not here.”

“In Chicago we had a pretty deep team,” he said. “But since I’ve been here, this is obviously the most talent that we’ve had.”

Hyde has rotated players from field to the dugout and won’t necessarily try to go with a more stable lineup in September.

“I think it’s going to be, one, let’s get there first, and then two, we’ll see where we are health-wise and see what our options are,” he said.

The Orioles will check the matchups and who’s hot. No one will be tethered to the bench.

“Let’s hope everybody’s healthy,” Hyde said. “Kind of the same situation we’re in now. We’ll see what our roster looks like at that point.”

* Ryan O'Hearn singled in the sixth inning after his sacrifice fly in the fourth gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead.

In 10 road games against division opponents, O'Hearn is batting .351/.366/.649 (13-for-37) with two doubles, three home runs, 13 RBIs and two walks.