WASHINGTON — Cody Bradford described his first MLB win as “hot and sweaty.”
Yeah, it was that kind of night weather-wise in the nation’s capital. Warm, muggy, etc. Good enough conditions though for Bradford, a 25-year-old Aledo, Texas, native, to record one of his best starts yet and continue a strong stretch for the Rangers’ spot starter.
Bradford pitched five innings, allowed one earned run on five hits and one walk in the Rangers’ 7-2 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday at Nationals Park. He gave up a two-out solo home run to Washington’s No. 3 hitter Joey Meneses in the first inning but followed with four straight scoreless innings.
“Put it in a lot of hard work to get this one,” Bradford said. “I feel like I earned it.”
If you exclude his MLB debut vs. the earth-scorching Atlanta Braves, Bradford has a 2.91 ERA in 21 2/3 innings pitched this season. He gave up six earned runs in five innings against the Braves on May 15; he’s allowed seven earned runs in six appearances — four starts and two relief outings — since.
He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts.
“He’s done a nice job since he’s been up here,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “We really needed that kind of start.”
For a few reasons. One, it gave Texas an opportunity to push Martin Perez’ next start to after the All-Star break. Two, it helped the Rangers snap a two-game losing skid after an unkind trip to Boston.
Bradford limited damage throughout his MLB career-high 95 pitches. He gave up a single to Washington’s No. 9 hitter Alex Call in the third inning then walked leadoff hitter CJ Abrams before he induced a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. He stranded runners on the corners in the fourth inning with a Riley Adams flyout. Abrams singled and stole second with two outs in the fifth, but Bradford induced an inning-ending Lane Adams pop out.
“We’ve been pitching since we’ve been eight, nine years old most of us,” Bradford said. “Having runners on base, it’s just a different aspect to the game but it’s something we prepared for, something we’ve put a lot of work in to control. It’s just another day out there.”
Not every day comes with a first-ever MLB win, though.
