AL WILD CARD SERIES: ROYALS VS ORIOLES

October 1, 2024

Brandon Hyde

Camden Yards

Baltimore Orioles

Postgame Press Conference

Kansas City Royals 1, Baltimore Orioles 0

Q. Brandon, with the way Burnes pitched, does it feel like the way a wasted start?

BRANDON HYDE: That was a heck of a pitched game by both sides, and Burnesy going into the ninth inning only allowed one run. So he pitched. He did his part. Pitched absolutely fantastic. Showed me all year what kind of pitcher he is, and he even stepped up in this game even more today.

Q. You guys struggled a lot in the second half with runners in scoring position; happened again today. What did you see in those opportunities for you guys today?

BRANDON HYDE: Yeah, we didn't have many opportunities because Ragans was really good, and then the opening guys did a nice job.

We had a couple punch-outs there, first and third. That hurt. You've got to give them credit. I thought their pitchers were absolutely fantastic, and Ragans is really hard to hit and the bullpen guys that came in after, they were really tough on us.

Q. Last year you guys lost Game 1 in a really close fashion and it snowballed from there. Is there anything you guys can do to prevent that from happening again?

BRANDON HYDE: No, we've got to turn the page. Our backs are up against the wall and have to play well tomorrow.

Q. Your thought process, putting Witt on and going to Pasquantino --

BRANDON HYDE: I'm letting Corbin Burnes, the way he's throwing the baseball right there, determine who he wants to go get.

Q. Did you think you had a break there with the Melendez missed play, putting the guy on second, and how impressive was Ragans, just knocking out of that?

BRANDON HYDE: Yeah, did he get a break, didn't take advantage of it -- I just thought Ragans was really good. I thought he was throwing 98 left-handed. He's shoving it into our right-handers. He mixed speeds really well. We did catch a break and we didn't cash in.

Q. With Urias on second, is that just a ball that you think Urias can score from second on that one?

BRANDON HYDE: Have to relook.

Q. You talked about needing to turn the page. Is that something you need to talk to the team about in a pointed way or do you sort of trust them not to maybe overthink the big picture going into tomorrow?

BRANDON HYDE: I think everybody understands the position we're in, and we need to win tomorrow. I don't think it's a team meeting rally cry. I think everybody fully understands what the situation is.

Q. Do you have -- are you still discussing starters for tomorrow?

BRANDON HYDE: Elfin is going to start for us tomorrow.