PHOENIX — Looking around the stands at Chase Field, the connections to Kyle Bradish were rampant. His parents. His friends. His former coaches. They packed in to see the hometown kid mow through the hometown team.

The Orioles right-hander has made a habit of that this season, staking his claim as one of the best pitchers in baseball as the final month of the campaign begins. Depending on his September, Bradish could make a late push for the Cy Young Award, and Saturday’s performance was the right first step on that path.

Bradish had never pitched here before, though, in a ballpark he used to visit as a kid from the Valley.

He seemed right at home.

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Bradish recorded his 10th quality start in his last 13 appearances in Baltimore’s 7-3 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks, ensuring the Orioles extended their sweepless series count to 83 straight. The offense burst open, but the platform for what the Orioles achieved was down to their breakout ace.

He did it in front of what he estimated to be 70 family members and friends, with texts pouring in during the lead-up to Saturday’s start.

“I’ll be honest, that was probably the most nervous I’ve been — even more so than my debut — just knowing I’m going to have that many people out there,” Bradish said. “You want to go out and have a good game.”

Anthony Santander greets Adley Rutschman after Rutschman hit a solo home run in the seventh inning of the Orioles' 7-3 victory. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

The 26-year-old, who grew up in the Phoenix area, lowered his season ERA to 3.03 — the fifth lowest among qualified pitchers. He ran into trouble in the third inning when he allowed a walk, single and double to lead off the frame, but Bradish minimized the damage to two runs against him.

He shut the Diamondbacks down from there. Baltimore (84-51, 2.5-game AL East lead) erupted for a six-run fourth inning, and then Bradish allowed just two baserunners among his final 12 batters faced. Bradish threw a career-high 107 pitches, and he drew at least one swing and miss on each of his five offerings.

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“He’s just really tough to hit, because it’s firm and goes in different directions,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “To get through six innings, throw a bunch of pitches there, really, really happy with that. He competes.”

Part of Bradish’s development has been the variation between his slider and curveball, although Hyde said Bradish made due without his best command of either. He tweaked his slider to add more sweep — or horizontal movement — with his slightly higher velocity. And his curveball, using almost the same grip he employed while at nearby Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, has more 12-6 vertical drop.

Those pitches supplemented his four-seam fastball and sinker, allowing him to draw weak contact — the four hits against him bounced in the infield first. He escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the third through a forceout and a groundout.

Catcher James McCann puts Bradish’s success down to the evolution of the hurler’s understanding of his own game. During spring training, McCann said, Bradish had a general idea of what he hoped to accomplish in any given outing.

“I think now, you talk to him, he’s going to articulate it perfectly. This is who I am, this is how I have success, and this is what I want to do,” McCann said. “That’s part of learning as a young player, is figuring those things out, taking a few lumps here and there, and finding success and sticking to what brings that success.”

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In the fourth inning, the Orioles posted six runs against right-hander Slade Cecconi, giving Bradish a lead to work with.

Baltimore linked seven straight one-out hits together to open the floodgates, with Cedric Mullins’ three-run homer the loudest knock of the frame. McCann, Adam Frazier and Adley Rutschman all added RBIs. However, precautionary X-rays for outfielder Anthony Santander’s hand after he was hit in the ninth dimmed the glint somewhat. Hyde said he expects Santander to be fine.

The Orioles provided more run support in the seventh when, with his grandfather in the crowd, Rutschman provided a solo homer. That sunburst of offense prodded the Orioles to a routine win.

“Stringing hits together in this league is extremely difficult,” McCann said, “so putting seven in a row, that was a lot of fun to see.”

But it was the work of Bradish — in a ballpark he knows well from the stands, not the mound — that gave Baltimore its footing. And he did it in front of those who make Phoenix home.

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“Chills,” Bradish said. “There were a lot of emotions going through it.”

andy.kostka@thebaltimorebanner.com

Andy Kostka

andy.kostka@thebaltimorebanner.com

Andy Kostka

Andy Kostka is an Orioles beat writer for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered the Orioles for The Baltimore Sun. Kostka graduated from the University of Maryland and grew up in Rockville.

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