O’Day shows O’s what they have missed

He earns win in return from DL, restores some balance to bullpen

The Orioles received a boost Sunday with the activation of reliever Darren O’Day off the disabled list after he missed nearly eight weeks with a high hamstring strain, and were rewarded with a three-strikeout inning in his first outing back.

O’Day, who pitched a scoreless ninth and earned the win after outfielder Nolan Reimold’s pinch-hit walk-off home run, said he was surprised at how comfortable he was after being away for so long.

“I think it’s just being gone, being away from the guys and the competition, makes you appreciate what you get to do and to be in the moment and get to pitch in a big spot,” he said.

Manager Buck Showalter, who seems to have long viewed O’Day’s return as a solution to a pitching staff that has spent much of the past month struggling to stay afloat, said the outing was his All-Star reliever “getting back out there and reminding us what we’ve been missing.”

O’Day relieved Brad Brach, who was nearly spotless in his absence but allowed two runs in a victory Saturday and gave up a one-run lead in the eighth inning Sunday. Before Sunday’s game, Brach said the Indians’ Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor had given him trouble. Both reached base Saturday and Sunday.

Before Sunday, the last two times Brach had allowed runs were in the ninth innings of games in which the Orioles led 5-0 — on June 16 and Saturday.

“It’s one of those things, when I see closers do that, I say, ‘Why do they give up runs when it’s like that? They’re so dominant otherwise,’ ” Brach said. “I just know I don’t want to fall behind guys, and I’m trying not to walk guys. That’s probably part of the problem.”

With the return of O’Day, who has a 3.00 ERA, the Orioles will have a more balanced bullpen that might allow Brach to pitch in some lower-leverage situations.

He’s made 45 appearances this year, with 31 in “close and late” situations with the game within one run, according to Baseball Reference. The return of O’Day should strengthen manager Showalter’s late-inning options, and push Mychal Givens and Chaz Roe into earlier situations, extending the game in case of some short starts from the rotation.

To make room for O’Day, left-hander Donnie Hart was optioned to Double-A Bowie. Hart had made three appearances for the Orioles since the All-Star break, giving them 22⁄ scoreless innings of relief. Darren O’Day Worley ‘ the story of the day’: In a season in which right-hander Vance Worley has filled every role imaginable on the Orioles’ pitching staff, he made a cameo Sunday in a role all parties would like to see him continue: reliable starting pitcher.

Worley threw a season-high 102 pitches in striking out three with three walks and allowed two runs on five hits.

“Worley was the story of the day,” Showalter said. “He was outstanding. I think he had thrown 88 pitches, and we took him another 10 or 12. Match up against [Indians starter Corey] Kluber like that and give us that type of chance to win.” Around the horn: Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim (hamstring) went 0-for-3 as the designated hitter on a rehab start for Bowie, striking out twice against a left-handed knuckleballer. He will play left field for Bowie today. … Ubaldo Jimenez’s wife had their baby Saturday night, but Showalter said he was unsure if the right-hander would return today or take the allotted three days for paternity leave.