BALTIMORE — Right-handed reliever Tyler Wilson rejoined the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, and he was immediately called into action.
With Baltimore trailing the division rival New York Yankees 5-3, Wilson came on to face designated hitter Alex Rodriguez with two outs and no runners on base in the sixth inning. He fanned Rodriguez and finished the game, tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings on a steamy, 90-degree afternoon in Baltimore’s 5-3 loss.
“No matter what the situation is — ahead, behind — my job, especially there being behind a couple of runs, is trying to get quick contact, get the offense back in the dugout, and give them a chance to score some runs and build some momentum on our side of the ball,” said Wilson, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game.
Wilson, who was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in an earlier stint with the Orioles this season, was glad to get thrown right into the mix.
“(I was) ready to go,” the 25-year-old said. “I was scheduled to start in Norfolk anyway. I was tapered and ready to go.”
Wilson’s effort, coming on a day when Baltimore starter Mike Wright lasted just four-plus innings, was timely for manager Buck Showalter.
“Each day it changes managing a bullpen and keeping your people healthy,” Showalter said. “Tyler was big for us today, and hopefully we’ll reap the benefits of his outing over the next week. His outing today makes other people better tomorrow.”