Rookie Cody Bradford Solid, Texas Rangers Fall Short in Orioles Finale

If there’s one issue that caused frustration with the record start by the Texas Rangers, it’s the bullpen.

And that was an issue again Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

After battling back to tied the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the eighth, Rangers relievers promptly gave up the lead before recording an out in the bottom of the inning.

Texas (33-19) would fall 3-2, snapping a four-game winning streak. The American League West leaders did win the series 2-1 and are 4-2 on the nine-game road trip that’s finished with the first two stops.

The Rangers are still tied for the best 52-game start in franchise history with the 1996 club. Baltimore (34-19) did leapfrog Texas for the second-best record in the Majors.

Cody Bradford was called up from Triple-A for a second spot start with Dune Dunning on paternity leave and the rookie lefty didn’t disappoint. Unlike his debut about two weeks ago, the Baylor product looked comfortable and like he belonged.

Bradford gave up two runs on three hits in the first inning on some bad luck before reeling off four consecutive scoreless frames. Baltimore only managed two more hits while Bradford was on the hill.

The native of Aledo just outside of Fort Worth also kept up a streak of exceptional starts on the road trip. None of the starters through the six games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Orioles have allowed more than two runs.

The Rangers, down 2-1, tied it in the eighth. Corey Seager’s two-out double to center scored Bubba Thompson, who was pinch running for Robbie Grossman.

The Orioles quickly got to Texas reliever Cole Ragans in their next at-bat. Cedric Mullins opened the inning by walking and went to third on Adley Rutschman’s single. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy turned to Joe Barlow with runners on the corner with no outs.

Austin Hays pounded a single to center against a drawn-in infield for the go-ahead run.

Baltimore reliever Felix Bautista pitched a perfect ninth to close the game.

After scoring 17 runs in the first games of the series, the Rangers had seven hits and were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Marcus Semien had that one hit, driving in a run in the fourth, and extended his hitting streak to a career-high-tying 17 games.

The Rangers, with two series wins in tow, open a three-game set at the Detroit Tigers on Monday afternoon. Red-hot Nathan Eovaldi (6-2, 2.60) goes for Texas, with Detroit starting Matthew Boyd (3-3, 5.74).

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