ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Rays hurt Tyler Wells today in the second inning.

Wells also hurt himself.

Ganging up on the right-hander prevented the Orioles from sweeping the two-game series.

Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes hit back-to-back home runs to begin the inning, Wells committed two errors that led to a pair of unearned runs, and Tampa Bay defeated the Orioles 7-2 before an announced crowd of 19,493 at Tropicana Field.

The Orioles managed only three hits until Gunnar Henderson's leadoff homer in the ninth and fell to 45-28 with their third loss in five games and fourth in seven. They’re five games behind the Rays again in the American League East.

To get his first career win in his own division and finally slay the Blue Jays, who battered him last season, Kyle Bradish needed to outduel the pitcher who hadn’t lost to the Orioles in 12 starts.

A pitcher who was perfect through four innings and unhittable until the seventh.

Bradish had good stuff and bad timing.

José Berríos retired the first 13 batters and was still eyeing history when Adley Rutschman singled into center field leading off the seventh. Just a minor glitch for Berríos, who again brought his best against the Orioles.

George Springer homered off Bradish with one out in the sixth, a changeup traveling 437 feet to left field, and the Blue Jays didn’t seem to need anything else in a 3-1 win before an announced crowd of 16,083 at Camden Yards.

MILWAUKEE – Ramón Urías rounded first base, smacked his hands together and pointed at the sky. On a routine single in the ninth inning of a 10-0 game that felt like much more.

Urías had two hits in 25 at-bats after his activation from the injured list. The hamstring was healed. His offensive stats were hurting.

Manager Brandon Hyde excluded Urías from Wednesday night’s lineup, offering him a reset and a chance to concentrate on his workday. Try to recapture the timing that made him one of the team’s most clutch hitters. Timing apparently lost during an almost three-week absence from the majors.

The ground ball that scooted into left field after he came off the bench could have been a 110-mph line drive and Urías was going to react in the same manner. Joy and relief intertwined at first base.

Urías started at third base yesterday and doubled to right field in his first at-bat, homered in the seventh inning to ruin Milwaukee’s shutout bid, and singled in the ninth. A triple shy of the cycle, and his first three-hit game since May 5.

MILWAUKEE – The goals have shifted for the Orioles as they near the conclusion of their latest road trip.

Don’t get swept. Try to go .500.

Try to keep the first-place Rays within viewing distance and don’t let anyone get too close.

Corbin Burnes tossed eight scoreless innings, rookie Joey Wiemer homered twice and had five RBIs, and the Brewers scored six runs off Dean Kremer in a 10-2 victory before an announced crowd of 22,320 at American Family Field.

The Orioles won two of three games from the Giants but have dropped the first two in Milwaukee. Their record is 37-24, still good for second place in the division but leaving them 6 ½ behind Tampa Bay, which got a walk-off home run from Randy Arozarena.

MILWAUKEE – Ramón Urías will watch his younger brother tonight from the visiting dugout. He can wave toward the home side.

Urías started at third base last night, with Luis playing second for the Brewers. Ramón isn’t in the lineup while mired in a 2-for-25 slump. Luis also is sitting.

The brothers hadn’t played in the same major league game before, creating a unique experience for the family.

“It was a special moment,” Ramón said this afternoon. “We were looking forward to this game, and it was an exciting moment to be on the field.”

One that they dreamed about growing up in Mexico.

MILWAUKEE – Gunnar Henderson took batting practice this afternoon and fielded ground balls to test his lower back.

Henderson remains out of the lineup but said earlier that he should be in the lineup Wednesday night.

“It’s getting better,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“We’re hoping he’s going to be back in there in the next day or two.”

Ramón Urías is starting at third base and batting seventh. Younger brother Luis is starting at second base for Milwaukee and also batting seventh.

Adley Rutschman launched a 3-0 pitch from Jon Gray onto the flag count in the bottom of the first inning to give the Orioles a quick lead. Cedric Mullins made a leaping catch to rob Josh Jung of a home run to begin the top of the second, prompting rookie Grayson Rodriguez to raise a fist in the air, and then his cap.

This is the exact kind of start that the team wanted after returning home from an exhilarating road trip. Hoping that it would escalate and allow them to coast instead of slipping into crisis mode.

And then, of course, Rodriguez surrenders a two-run homer to Leody Taveras with two outs in the second inning and the Orioles are forced into chasing their 20^th comeback win. They live in an unusual comfort zone.

The Rangers turned it into a miserable spot, refusing to stay within reach and to play along.

The final images of Rodriguez include how he placed a hand on his hip and stared at the outfield as Corey Seager rounded the bases after hitting a grand slam in an eight-run fourth inning. And how he shouted into his glove after entering the dugout.

Orioles infielder Ramón Urías has been out since a game May 8 against Tampa Bay, on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.

But he rejoined the active roster today after playing a couple of rehab games this week with High-A Aberdeen. He said he has passed every medical test and is ready to go.

“Very excited,” Urías said this afternoon in the Baltimore clubhouse. “It was a long two weeks, but the team is living a great moment and happy to join it. Glad we caught this in time and it wasn’t any worse.”

The best thing about his rehab games, he said, was just being healthy again.

“Was good to not be feeling any leg pain,” said Urías.

The Orioles have reinstated infielder Ramón Urías from the 10-day injured list following his two rehab games at High-A Aberdeen.

Urías hasn’t played for the Orioles since straining his left hamstring on May 8.

In a corresponding move, rookie infielder Joey Ortiz was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Ortiz was 5-for-11 in his last five games.

Back from a 5-1 road trip that moved them 16 games above .500, the Orioles begin another homestand with a weekend series against the first-place Rangers, whose 31-18 record is third-best in baseball.

Never seems to get any easier.

NEW YORK – Cedric Mullins isn’t in tonight’s Orioles lineup for “personal reasons,” according to manager Brandon Hyde.

Hyde didn’t elaborate or confirm whether Mullins is at Yankee Stadium.

Mullins always plays against right-handed starters. And left-handed hitters are slashing .356/.430/.644 against Clarke Schmidt this season.

Not having Mullins atop the order tonight was bound to raise questions.

“It’s probably going to be one day,” Hyde said. “I’m not going to expand on that. It’s for personal reasons right now and we should see him back soon.”

NEW YORK – Orioles infielder Ramón Urías is beginning his injury rehab assignment Wednesday night at High-A Aberdeen.

Urías is serving as the designated hitter, according to Orioles manager Brandon Hyde.

The IronBirds are hosting a seven-game series against Jersey Shore, which includes Wednesday’s doubleheader that resulted from an April 22 postponement.

Urías is on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. He hasn’t played since limping off the field following a ninth-inning single on May 8.

Hyde didn’t specify how many days Urías would spend at Aberdeen. Urías has targeted a weekend return to the Orioles, when they host the Rangers.

The Orioles finish their series in Toronto this afternoon, enjoy an off-day in New York before playing three games at Yankee Stadium, and don’t return home until Friday, when infielder Ramón Urías hopes to be reinstated from the injured list with the Rangers in town.

Scouts will be watching. Never too early to file reports that could spur a trade or at least initiate talks. And the group will grow in the coming months,

A veteran scout who’s familiar with the Orioles said recently that the infield defense without Urías “is not the same.”

Further evidence that Urías’ value can’t be overstated.

Perhaps a silver lining to losing a Gold Glove winner is the regular starts that Gunnar Henderson is receiving at third base.

TORONTO – Saying he got to see a “master class” at work last night, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde hopes right-hander Grayson Rodriguez can pick up today where Kyle Gibson left off Friday. Gibson held Toronto to one run and five hits over seven innings as the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 6-2 to take the series opener.

Now they can win this series today or tomorrow and take another series from an American League East opponent. The Birds are 7-6 in division games this season and 5-2 in their past seven division games, winning series against Boston and Tampa Bay.

Rodriguez is next up to face a strong Toronto lineup, but in two of his last three starts he has allowed six and eight runs. In between those two was his only career start against an AL East team, and he held Tampa Bay to two runs over 5 2/3 innings. So the Orioles know the talent is in there for the rookie, who, despite a 6.57 ERA for the year, has four starts in which he allowed two runs or fewer.

“Well, he got a master class last night,” Hyde said today when asked about Rodriguez pitching today. “Sure he was paying attention to that. A really tough lineup to pitch to, and Grayson is going to go through this. All the lineups he is facing for the first time. He’s getting to know the league and he’s doing a good job preparing. Seen him prepare a lot these last few days for this start today, and he got a great example last night of a really competitive outing.

“Hoping Grayson works ahead in the count and tries to match what Kyle did yesterday.”

Outfielder Ryan McKenna said he’s available to play this afternoon if the Orioles want to bring him off the bench.

McKenna underwent an MRI on his lower back that didn’t reveal any structural damage. He’s receiving treatment for soreness that began as the Orioles were finishing their trip in Atlanta.

“It seems to be nothing too crazy for concern,” he said. “I’m ready for today if they need me. Just got some sprint work in and it feels pretty good today.”

McKenna hasn’t batted since Monday. He was used as a defensive replacement the next two nights in the ninth inning but hasn’t played against the Pirates.

“I felt it more when I was coming back from that road trip,” he said. “I think I just let my body get a little too tight and it caused some pressure in places that I didn’t really like. Just trying to maintain mobility in some areas and I’ll be good to go.”

Orioles infielder Ramón Urías is facing a new opponent.

The amount of time spent recovering from a left hamstring strain.

Urías said yesterday that his leg feels “much better.” He didn’t seem to be limping as he walked across the clubhouse to his locker.

The Orioles put Urías on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after he left the previous night’s game against the Rays in the ninth inning. He was running to first base on a single and felt the hamstring grab.

“It was just a little bit,” he said.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde saw Ramón Urías in the weight room this afternoon and said the infielder’s left hamstring is improving through rehab sessions.

What hasn’t changed is the anticipated length of Urías’ absence from the active roster. He won’t be back after his 10 days have passed.

“He’s doing well,” Hyde said. “I think the timetable’s still the same. It’s going to be two or three weeks, but he’s progressing extremely well and right now he’s just getting a ton of treatment and doing some exercises in the weight room, but hasn’t done anything besides that.”

Reliever Mychal Givens said his left knee felt good after he pitched Wednesday and Thursday with Double-A Bowie on his rehab assignment. His activation from the injured list is approaching.

“I think he’s pretty close,” Hyde said. “We might try to give him another outing, and then we’re going to continue to monitor from there, go from there.”

The Orioles shook up their roster this afternoon, and the moves weren’t tied only to Ramón Urías’ left hamstring strain.

Urías was placed on the 10-day injured list as expected, but the club also optioned reliever Keegan Akin and designated catcher Luis Torrens for assignment before he could appear in a game.

Left-hander Drew Rom, infielder/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn and infielder Terrin Vavra were recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.

Rom, 23, would be making his major league debut after going 4-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in six games with Norfolk. He’s surrendered only two home runs in 31 1/3 innings and is averaging 2.9 walks and 9.2 strikeouts. He’s wearing No. 67.

The Orioles selected Rom in the fourth round of the 2018 draft out of Highlands High School in Kentucky. He could switch to a relief role as Akin’s replacement, keeping a third left-hander in the bullpen and providing length.

ATLANTA – Cedric Mullins was lowered in the order again last night against a left-hander, batting seventh while also being one of the first players credited with a 9-4 win over the Braves.

Anthony Santander homered twice, including a grand slam, but Mullins led off the seventh with a homer against Max Fried.

Mullins is 12-for-43 (.279) against southpaws, with six extra-base hits and 13 RBIs. He slashed .209/.265/.313 last season and drove in only 15 runs.

“Just continue to work,” he said. “I’ve said many times, just how I prepare against lefties going forward. I’ve had a lot of success, so just sticking with it.”

Mullins added a run-scoring single off right-hander Joe Jiménez in the seventh and he leads the team with 28 RBIs.

Tyler Wells had the stuff today when a situation called for it. Not at his fingertips throughout his start. Just enough to hold down his opponent.

He just needed the support, both from his offense and the bullpen.

It eventually comes. Wait for it.

Wells matched his career high with seven strikeouts, and the Orioles broke a tie in the fourth by scoring three runs off Tanner Houck to defeat the Red Sox 6-2 and win their sixth series in 2023.

Anthony Santander had two sacrifice flies, Ramón Urías set a career high with four hits, the ‘pen went full beast mode again, and the Orioles improved to 16-8 with their 10^th win in 12 games and 12^th in 15.

As the Orioles host Boston tonight in Game 2 of a three-game series, they will send out right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-0, 0.00) to make his third start. Those first two starts came 16 days apart because he was hit by a liner in Texas and went on the injured list between those two.

The second was last Wednesday in Washington. Bradish threw six scoreless innings on five hits and 92 pitches versus the Nationals. So he has pitched 7 2/3 scoreless to begin his year.

A case could be made that Bradish has been the Orioles' best starter since late last July. Going through his last 15 starts, beginning July 29, 2022, Bradish is 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA and the Orioles are 11-4 in those games. He has five quality starts. In 79 innings in that span he has recorded 1.15 WHIP, allowing just a .211 batting average and .597 OPS.

This year, lefty batters are 2-for-16 (.125) against him and right-handers are batting (.308) at 4-for-13.

But Bradish has never recorded a win against an American League East opponent, going 0-7 with a 7.21 ERA and .904 OPS against in 14 games.