Coulombe retires Arraez for final out as the Orioles top the Marlins 5-4 for their 8th straight win
By Noah Trister, The Associated Press on July 16, 2023.
BALTIMORE (AP) – Kyle Bradish took a shutout into the eighth inning and Danny Coulombe retired Luis Arraez on a game-ending lineout with a runner on second as the Baltimore Orioles held off Miami’s late rally in a 5-4 victory over the Marlins on Sunday. The Orioles won their eighth straight game, but not before nearly blowing a 5-0 lead in the ninth. Arraez, flirting with .400 for much of the season, lined out to left field to end it. He went 0 for 5, dropping his batting average to .380. Anthony Santander hit his 100th career home run for the Orioles, who began the day two games behind Tampa Bay atop the AL East. They were up 3-0 before Miami opener Steven Okert (3-1) got an out in the first inning, and Bradish (6-4) took it from there. He allowed three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in 7 1/3 scoreless innings, working deep into the game after Baltimore used its top two relievers each of the previous two nights. Eduard Bazardo gave up a two-run double to Jean Segura with one out in the ninth, but Coulombe got the final two outs for his first save in 233 big league appearances. Jon Berti managed a run-scoring single off Coulombe, and Dane Myers doubled home a run to bring up Arraez. The Marlins lost two of the three games in this series by one run after going 21-6 in one-run games before the All-Star break. Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman opened the game with consecutive doubles to make it 1-0, and Santander followed with a two-run shot, his 17th homer of the year. Okert allowed a single to Austin Hays before finally retiring Ryan O’Hearn on a popup. The left-hander was then taken out. The Orioles scored twice in the fourth without a hit. George Soriano loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two hit batters. Then a run came home on an error by shortstop Joey Wendle on a soft grounder by James McCann that could have been an inning-ending double play. Henderson followed with a sacrifice fly off Huascar Brazoban. Bradish exited after 100 pitches, and with the Orioles up 5-0, it appeared Baltimore would have an easy day with All-Star relievers Félix Bautista and Yennier Cano getting the day off. Then the Marlins made it interesting with their four-run ninth. TRAINER’S ROOM Marlins: RHP Johnny Cueto pitched three scoreless innings of relief in his first appearance since returning from a biceps injury. He’d been on the injured list since April. Orioles: OF Cedric Mullins did not play after leaving Saturday’s game with quad tightness. … OF Colton Cowser and 2B Adam Frazier were hit by pitches around the left knee and right shin. Both remained in the game. UP NEXT The Orioles send rookie RHP Grayson Rodriguez (2-2) to the mound against Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (2-0) on Monday night. Rodriguez was one of baseball’s top prospects when called up early this season, but he was sent back to the minors after posting a 7.35 ERA. This is his first start back with the Orioles. Miami starts LHP Jesus Luzardo (8-5) in the opener of its series at St. Louis. ___ Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports 20-19
