Jordan Lyles felt good after yesterday’s bullpen session, did some light throwing today and seems ready to start Saturday afternoon against the Red Sox.

Lyles was scratched from Monday’s doubleheader due to a stomach virus.

“I’m hoping,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “He’s feeling better every day, so I’m hoping he’s able to start tomorrow.”

“I hope so,” Lyles said. “I’ll let Hyder discuss the plans going forward, but I feel much better, and hopefully I can get out there soon.”

Shortstop Jorge Mateo is out of the lineup. The shortstop was hit on the leg two days ago while covering second base on a steal attempt, but Hyde said he’s just “rotating guys around.”

Jordan Lyles began to warm in the bullpen in preparation for his Game 2 start, stopped early and headed back inside the clubhouse covered in sweat. The veteran who prides himself on eating innings didn’t have the stomach for it today.

He tried. The Orioles pushed back Lyles from Game 1, hoping the extra hours would let him recover. He put on his glove, grabbed a ball and threw.

Pretty much anything that could go wrong for the Orioles injected itself into their doubleheader.

Left-hander Keegan Akin made the start and lasted 2 1/3 innings and 42 pitches. Nick Vespi replaced him with two runners on base and Bo Bichette homered to left field.

Bichette hit two more home runs off left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, who covered the last six innings, and the Orioles lost to the Blue Jays 8-4 at Camden Yards.

Tyler Wells threw his second bullpen session today and keeps making progress in his eventual return from a left oblique injury.

Wells is nearing a live batting practice session to get him reacclimated to facing hitters.

“It’s going very well,” Hyde said. “Threw his second bullpen, feels great after. All positive news from there.”

The Orioles haven’t determined Well’s role after he makes it back onto the active roster. Building him back up as a starter will take longer, which could influence them to make him a reliever.

“We’re still going to work some things out,” Hyde said.

Leaning against the dugout wall, Brandon Hyde chomped his pink bubblegum, one hand on his hip, his eyes filled with the kind of dissatisfaction Orioles fans were used to seeing from their manager in each of his previous three seasons.

Hyde’s bullpen was floundering. His defense was breaking down. A six-run lead was slipping away like air from a balloon.

But this wasn’t like old times.

After a nightmarish top of the fifth inning for the Orioles, in which two errors were committed and five runs were scored, the team settled down, refocused and followed up with five runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. 

There would be no collapse. The O’s would cruise through the final four innings of Friday’s 15-10 win over the Red Sox.

Since gambling is becoming so tightly attached to Major League Baseball that it’s almost cutting off the circulation, with advertisements running every half inning, coming at us faster than Rickey Henderson in his prime, it’s fitting to point out that the Orioles are playing with house money.

They weren’t supposed to be above .500 in the middle of August or to be chasing the wild card, holding the third position for a brief period over the weekend. After earning the first pick in the draft, tying the Diamondbacks for the worst record? No way.

To ask, “why not?” would risk exposure to an hour-long lecture.

John Means’ season-ending elbow surgery didn’t create this perception. It existed before he received his scar.

They followed two straight losses at Tropicana Field with last night’s 7-3 win in Toronto. It was so Orioles. Just when you think they’re out, they pull themselves back in.

The Brewers walked off the Rays today, leaving the Orioles tied for the third wild card spot. A win tonight would give them sole possession of it.

Manager Brandon Hyde won’t steal a peek at the upcoming road trip – the one game in Boston, three in St. Petersburg, Fla. and three in Toronto that concludes it. He follows the mantra of Nationals manager and friend Davey Martinez about going “1-0 today.”

“I’ve heard him say it a bunch of times, and I’m very close to him, but for me, that’s what you’re supposed to do is you’re supposed to try to not look too far ahead and try to win tonight’s game, and if you don’t, it’s going to bite you. Do the task that’s in front of you," Hyde said.

“Tonight, we’re facing a really good Blue Jays team and a really good starter (José Berríos), and we’ll worry about Boston tomorrow. But right now, we have what’s in front of us and we can’t control what other teams are doing. We’re paying attention a little bit more, but we have no control over it. Just have to control what we can control and try to win tonight’s game.”

Rain is in the forecast for much of the night, and the tarp is on the field at Camden Yards. The first drops began to fall shortly before 5:30 p.m., and it’s pouring. The warning track is a long and winding puddle.

The Orioles lost their lead tonight in the top of the sixth inning, then watched the tarp pulled onto the field before the rain arrived. Hurt by their own mistakes and what they couldn’t control.

They handled it with the same confidence and composure that’s guided them through the season. Always finding rays of light after a heavy downpour of disappointment.

This one almost got away from them. But it’s a different team in 2022.

Rougned Odor hit a two-run homer off Yimi García in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally the Orioles past the Blue Jays 6-5 at Camden Yards following a 1 hour, 18 minute rain delay.

Bo Bichette slugged his second home run of the night in the sixth inning, a go-ahead three-run shot on a two-strike pitch from reliever Bryan Baker. Ryan Mountcastle drew the Orioles within a run in the seventh on a double that scored Adley Rutschman, and Odor followed Austin Hays’ leadoff single in the eighth by driving a changeup 415 feet to right-center field.

The first pitch of today’s game produced a grounder to Rougned Odor, making his third base debut as an Oriole, a position he tolerated last summer with the Yankees. He fielded it cleanly, paused and fired across the diamond for the out. Of course, the ball found him right away.

A grounder in the second eluded first baseman Ryan Mountcastle’s, but Terrin Vavra backed up the play and threw to Spenser Watkins, who was covering the bag. Of course, they hustled to get there.

Another grounder with two outs in the third looked like it would squirt into center field for the Pirates’ first baserunner, but Jorge Mateo cut in front of Odor to get the last out. Of course, he had the range and the arm to do it.

The Orioles led 1-0 after Mateo’s fly ball leading off the third inning kept carrying until it landed a few rows back in the left field corner, beyond the shorter portion of the wall.

The Orioles just have a knack, and it seemed to be trending again today. Doing whatever is necessary, often defying the odds. But a series of soft hits in the fifth inning and a controversial call in the seventh put them on the other side, where they haven’t resided of late.

Austin Hays maintains his day-to-day status as he recovers from soreness in his side, a cautious approach to prevent a serious oblique injury.

Hays was scheduled to take more swings in the cage this morning after hitting, running and throwing yesterday afternoon. He said he’s “trending in the right direction.” No problems with the increased activity.

The lineup hasn’t included Hays for the last four games, with the Orioles winning all of them to run their streak to five in a row.

“Feeling better today. He’s getting a little better every day,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“Available off the bench, maybe. Not sure about that yet. But hopefully in the next day or two we can get him in the lineup.”

O’s outfielder Austin Hays is not in the starting lineup for the third straight game with a sore and tight left oblique. During the Orioles clubhouse media availability today before batting practice, Hays said he was hopeful he would not need a stint on the injured list.

“Not at this point, no.” he said. “Have a little bit better feel after today. We’ve let it settle these last couple of days. So, we’ll have a little bit better understanding where I’m at today once I go do my (pregame) stuff.

“I feel a little bit better today. Just got to reassess where I’m at. We’ve just been doing treatment right now to let it fully settle. That is three days of just straight treatment so we’ll asses today and see where it’s at.”

And where it is at is a better place today. When manager Brandon Hyde talked with reporters, Hays had already completed some pregame work and it went well.

“Hays is trending in the right direction,” said Hyde. “Feels a lot better today. Hopefully he is in there the next couple of days. Took some swings today in the cage. Felt a lot better. Went out and did a pretty good throwing program out there. It’s just, with an oblique, you want to be really cautious. Just want to make sure he’s 100 percent before we put him back out there. So it looks good.”

CINCINNATI – It was another night of good Orioles pitching, but the Birds eventually needed someone to come up with a clutch hit. Tied 2-2 in the ninth tonight, center fielder Cedric Mullins delivered the needed hit.

Mullins produced a two-run single to center to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Orioles to a road-trip opening 6-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the series opener in front of 23,658 at Great American Ball Park.

"I give a lot of credit to our guys throwing and keeping us in games," said Mullins. "You know we had a rough start and Tony came up big to tie the game and I was able to pick up a big hit late. I think it is a matter of staying focused and believing somone will come through."

The O’s were 0-for-9 on the night with runners in scoring position until Mullins drove in his 41^st and 42^nd RBIs. Righty Buck Farmer was on the mound for Cincinnati to start the ninth in the tie game and walked Ramón Urías. Ryan McKenna pinch ran and scampered to third on a double into the right-field corner by Rougned Odor.

Then after a shallow fly out by Jorge Mateo, Mullins, who was 0-for-4 on the night, singled on a first-pitch changeup. The O's then got some good fortune. Trey Mancini's grounder up the middle hit the second-base bag and went for an RBI single to make it a 5-2 lead.

Tyler Wells has been on strict pitch and innings counts this season, the Orioles wanting to get him through a full season as a starter without shutting him down. Push him a little in a start, then pull him back. Provide rest where it can be found.

They didn’t want an injury to factor into his usage, but it happened tonight.

Wells threw a slider down and away to Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz to begin the at-bat with one out in the fifth inning, twisted his torso slightly, grimaced and bent at the waist. Rougned Odor put an arm around his shoulder as manager Brandon Hyde, pitching coach Chris Holt and head athletic trainer Brian Ebel rushed to the mound.

The club announced that Wells experienced lower back discomfort. The Orioles received 4 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen in regulation but lost 6-4 after the Rays scored twice in the 10th.

Jorge Mateo hit a game-tying home run off Colin Poche with one out in the ninth inning. Adley Rutschman walked with two outs and Trey Mancini singled off Poche, who surrendered Ramón Urías’ go-ahead, two-run homer last night in the eighth. Anthony Santander struck out.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – This isn’t how the Orioles planned to enter the All-Star break, a .500 team that just lost another series at Tropicana Field.

The record should satisfy an organization without a winning season since 2016, and that’s picking first tonight in the MLB Draft. But the 2022 Orioles aren’t wired that way.

They wanted more. And unlike past years, they expected it.

Randy Arozarena hit a two-run homer off Jordan Lyles in the first inning, Brett Phillips bolted out of his slump with a three-run shot in the third, and the Orioles couldn’t complete their rally in a 7-5 loss to the Rays.

The Orioles are 46-46 as they scatter for a few days, players rushing to get home or back to Baltimore. They’ll regroup and host the first-place Yankees next weekend.

With their latest victory and walk-off win now a day behind them, the Orioles try to extend their longest win streak in two years this afternoon as they again host the Los Angeles Angels at Camden Yards. The Orioles are 5-0 on this seven-game homestand that ends Sunday.

Baltimore (41-44) has a six-game win streak for the first time since Aug. 7-13, 2020. The six wins have produced three walk-off wins, two in extra innings, four by a single run and six victories by just nine total runs. The team has not won seven in a row since Aug. 23-30, 2017.

The Orioles have put themselves into contention for the sixth and final playoff spot in the American League. That spot is now held by Toronto (45-40), which is two games ahead of Seattle, three up on Cleveland and four ahead of the Orioles for that spot.

The Orioles have won 11 of 16 and 17 of their past 26 games. They are 20-14 since June 1 and 34-30 since May 1. The Orioles improved to 23-17 at home with Friday’s win and they are 10-3 their last 13 home games.

More notes on Friday’s amazing win, which came in the last of the ninth with two outs and none on and Los Angeles leading 4-2 before the Orioles recorded four straight hits and all the batters had two strikes on them:

The Orioles won’t turn away a walk-off win and all of the dramatics that go along with it. The late lead changes, the heart-pounding drama. And the complaints will be kept to a minimum when it happens in extra innings in consecutive games.

Manager Brandon Hyde held the double-edged sword earlier today while revisiting last night’s insanity, how the Orioles became the first team in major league history to surrender tying or go-ahead home runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth without losing.

Happy for the comebacks, pained by the reasons behind them.

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” he said.

“We can laugh about it now. Last night I wasn’t laughing at it.”

Another crazy night at the ballpark ended with another Orioles walk-off win in the last of the 10^th inning. And just like on the Fourth of July, they tied the game with two outs in the last of the ninth and won it an inning later.

Adley Rutschman’s double produced the tie Monday and Rougned Odor’s solo homer to right in the ninth produced the 9-9 tie on Tuesday night. It was his third career game-tying or go-ahead home run with two outs in the ninth or later and first since a walk-off homer in the last of the 10^th for Texas against Detroit on Aug. 3, 2019. This time he helped the Orioles beat the Rangers 10-9.

The Orioles last night became the first team in major league history to allow a game-tying or go-ahead homer in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and still win the game.

That is crazy, but it happened.

In the seventh, Mitch Garver’s solo homer off Keegan Akin tied the game 4-4. An inning later, Nathaniel Lowe’s three-run shot off Nick Vespi tied the game at 7-7. In the ninth, Corey Seager’s two-run shot off Félix Bautista gave Texas the 9-8 lead that stood only until Odor’s homer in the bottom of the frame.

The chatter starts again, which requires Anthony Santander to tune out. Just ignore it. Can’t control it and won’t let it distract.

The trade deadline arrives on Aug. 2, a few days later than usual. Deals can be consummated at any time leading to it, and Santander remains one of the Orioles’ most attractive chips.

A hamstring injury lessened his value last summer. Santander struggled with it and his numbers suffered. But teams checked on his availability during the winter, with the Marlins one of the most interested.

Santander is healthy in 2022 and leading the Orioles in home runs with 15, five short of his career high in 2019. His 31 walks are the most in his career. The .325 on-base percentage is the highest.

The speculation that he could be traded will peak, as well.

The Orioles didn’t post their lineup today until the clubhouse closed to the media and manager Brandon Hyde finished his daily briefing. Much later than usual. Not the way he wants it done.

Hyde knew that Austin Hays wouldn’t play due to a sore right wrist, but he had to wait on Ryan Mountcastle, whose sinus issues restricted him to designated hitter duties yesterday, and Jorge Mateo, who was hit by a fastball on the left quadriceps to force in the winning run in the 10^th inning.

Only Mateo made it into the lineup, leaving Hyde with few healthy players on the bench.

Mateo delivered an RBI single in the second inning, stole his 20th base and raced home on Cedric Mullins’ two-run double. The leg was fine.

So, too, were the Orioles, after squandering leads of four and three runs, and watching a one-run lead disappear in the ninth.

What a crazy way to win a crazy game.

A walk-off hit by pitch in the last of the 10^th. That is how the Orioles beat the Texas Rangers 7-6 today to start a series and week-long homestand. This after they fell behind in the top of the ninth and had to score in the home half to tie it up.

Lefty Matt Moore came on for Texas in the 10^th with placed runner Austin Hays on second base. He then muffed a bunt attempt by Rougned Odor that was scored a hit to put runners on the corners, and then walked Ramón Urías intentionally to load the bases with no outs. Moore’s next pitch hit shortstop Jorge Mateo near the left knee and he limped toward first base as the game ended in bizarre fashion.

A walk-off hit by pitch giving the Orioles a record of 37-44 at the midpoint of their year with their sixth walk-off win of 2022. They were 27-54 at this point in the 2021 season.

An inning earlier we saw what was likely Adley Rutschman's biggest hit as an Oriole and it forced extra innings. Down to their last out in the ninth down by one, Rutschman lined a double off the right field wall to tie Texas 6-6 and force a 10th inning. Rutschman lined a 96 mph fastball from closer Joe Barlow for the tie. He began today 0-for-15 his previous four games.

The Orioles began their homestand with a roster move today, activating infielder Ramón Urías from the 10-day injured list and optioning infielder Richie Martin to Triple-A Norfolk.

Urías returns from a strained left oblique. He appeared in two rehab games at Double-A Bowie and went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts.

Martin has gone 5-for-30 with two triples and 10 strikeouts with the Orioles. He started at shortstop yesterday in Minnesota.

Urías is on the bench for today’s game against the Rangers. Jonathan Araúz is the third baseman, Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and Rougned Odor is starting at second base.

Fourteen of Odor’s last 22 hits since May 20 have gone for extra bases. He hit a home run yesterday on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, the longest of his career that resulted in a homer.