BALTIMORE — If the Orioles keep getting this version of Kyle Bradish, they have their ace back.

The right-hander entered Saturday with a 2.30 ERA across his last four starts. He pitched into the eighth inning in three of those outings. Against a Kansas City team at the bottom of MLB in runs on the road, Bradish had a prime opportunity to continue his surge.

And he did. Bradish carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in the Orioles’ 6-1 win over the Royals on Saturday, which gave Baltimore its first home-series victory since late May. The Orioles (45-51) will go for a sweep on Sunday to give them four straight wins for the first time this season, going into the All-Star break.

Hitting four home runs, like the Orioles did Saturday, would help that happen. But they won’t have Bradish on the mound, who went 6 2/3 innings with one run allowed and five strikeouts.

A Jac Caglianone single ended Bradish’s no-hit attempt. It wasn’t the first time he pushed for one. Bradish carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning in his prior start against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. He threw seven no-hit innings against the Chicago White Sox in 2024 before being pulled after 103 pitches. Baltimore’s bullpen couldn’t hold the no-hitter.

Bradish didn’t make it quite through seven frames on Saturday. But he continues to look more like his 2023 self, when he was the best starter on an Orioles team that won an American League-high 101 games.

Bradish led Baltimore starters with a 4.8 Wins Above Replacement mark and 2.83 ERA that season. The then-second-year pitcher finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting. He looked primed to take off.

Then, injuries came.

Bradish suffered a partial tear in his right UCL after the 2023 season ended. He returned to make eight starts in 2024, pitching to a 2.75 ERA and 2-0 record. But his outing on June 14 of that year was his last. Right elbow soreness returned, and he underwent Tommy John Surgery later that month.

He came back to Baltimore’s rotation in the latter part of last season, making one start in August and five in September. Bradish went 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA. He struck out 26 batters across his final three starts, providing optimism for 2026.

It took time for Bradish to settle in — he failed to go six innings in six of his first seven starts this season. But he’s looked like his 2023 self the past month, capped by Saturday’s dominant showing.

The Orioles used the long ball to support Bradish.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a Samuel Basallo single, Pete Alonso blasted his team-leading 21st home run in the fourth inning, scoring left fielder Taylor Ward. Third baseman Coby Mayo added a 440-foot home run in the next frame. Gunnar Henderson hit his 17th home run of the season in the eighth inning.

A home run in the sixth inning marked an especially welcome sight for Baltimore fans.

Ward hit his sixth round-tripper this season — and first at Camden Yards. The 32-year-old hit 36 home runs for the Los Angeles Angels last year. More power from Ward, who’s reaching base at the highest clip of any Oriole, would add another layer to Baltimore’s offense.

But that wasn’t needed Saturday. Not with the way Bradish pitched.

If the 29-year-old can continue pitching as he has, it inspires real hope the Orioles can win every fifth day. They likely need to if they want to make a second-half postseason push.

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