BALTIMORE — At a certain point, the tests aren’t necessary. The Orioles’ bullpen has proven time and again what it’s capable of achieving.
But with Félix Bautista on the mound and the heart of the Los Angeles Angels’ order due up in the eighth inning Saturday afternoon, the test captivating the attention of another strong crowd at Camden Yards. There were Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, two superstars coming to the plate in a one-run game. And then there was Bautista sending Trout right back to the dugout after he whizzed a 100-mph fastball that froze the annual All-Star before forcing Ohtani into a weak groundout.
Bautista finished the frame with a second strikeout, this time catching Taylor Ward looking at another triple-digit heater. The right-hander left the field to a standing ovation, an additional test passed with flying colors.
