BALTIMORE (AP) — Kyle Bradish and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, and the Baltimore Orioles completed a three-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 2-0 victory Sunday.
Adley Rutschman and Ryan O’Hearn each drove in a run for American League-leading Baltimore, which won for the eighth time in 10 games. Cionel Pérez (4-1) relieved an erratic Bradish with two outs in the fifth and retired DJ Stewart on a bases-loaded grounder.
The Orioles managed to win this close game without using two of their top relievers, giving All-Star Yennier Cano and left-hander Danny Coulombe the day off. Félix Bautista did pitch the ninth for his 30th save in 35 chances.
José Quintana (0-3) allowed two runs and six hits in six-plus innings. He walked two and struck out six. New York has lost six straight since trading star pitcher Justin Verlander and two others on Tuesday to cap a deadline selloff.
The plummeting Mets (50-61) were shut out for the 11th time and fell a season-worst 11 games below .500.
Bradish allowed three hits, five walks and a hit batter in 4 2/3 innings, but the Mets couldn’t take advantage. Pete Alonso grounded into double plays in the first and third, and Stewart couldn’t come through with the bases full in the fifth.
Jorge Mateo tripled in the Baltimore fifth when his one-out line drive went past a sliding Rafael Ortega in center field. Rutschman followed with a run-scoring groundout to third — Mark Vientos didn’t field it cleanly, so he had no chance to get Mateo at the plate.
With runners on first and third and nobody out in the seventh, O’Hearn came up as a pinch-hitter and hit a comebacker that deflected off reliever Trevor Gott. Second baseman Danny Mendick fielded the grounder and it initially appeared he might throw home, but he took the force at second instead and the run scored to make it 2-0.
Pérez got four outs for Baltimore, and Cole Irvin worked the seventh. Shintaro Fujinami struck out two in a perfect eighth.
UP NEXT
The Orioles have Monday off before hosting a three-game series against Houston. Rookie RHP Grayson Rodriguez (2-3) takes the mound Tuesday night versus the Astros.
The Mets return home from their 0-6 trip to Kansas City and Baltimore to face the Chicago Cubs on Monday night. Kodai Senga (7-6) starts for New York against Drew Smyly (8-7).
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
#ALleading #Orioles #finish #3game #sweep #Mets #victory
