Baltimore Orioles pay tribute to Brooks Robinson in best way possible

It was very fitting that, just hours after the Baltimore Orioles announced the passing of Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, the team went out and put together one of its finest defensive showings of the season.

An 18-time All-Star and 16-time Gold Glover, Robinson was known for redefining what it meant to man the hot corner. In the years after his retirement in 1977, following a 23-year MLB career spent only in a Baltimore Orioles uniform, the accomplishments of third basemen including Mike Schmidt and Nolan Arenado would always be compared to what Robinson brought to the position.

Baltimore Orioles honor passing of Brooks Robinson with defensive gem

While it was certainly not planned or scripted, the Orioles posting a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night was indeed poetic. Kyle Bradish threw eight strong innings, holding the Nationals scoreless. However, it wasn’t a dominating, strikeout-filled performance as Bradish struck out just four of the 28 batters he faced. While Yennier Cano whiffed all three batters he faced in the ninth inning to earn his eighth save of the season, Baltimore’s defense had to be on point to keep the Nationals from scoring. After Gunnar Henderson’s leadoff home run, it was up to Baltimore’s pitching and defense to keep the Orioles churning toward their first American League East title since 2014. They did just that, in a way that certainly would have made Robinson proud.

Tuesday was an emotional day in Baltimore as the Orioles not only mourned the passing of one of their most beloved franchise icons, but also had to focus on the task at hand with the Tampa Bay Rays sitting just 2.5 games behind in the race for the AL East when the day began.

Defense and another step toward a return to the postseason? Absolutely the best way the Baltimore Orioles could have tipped their cap to the legendary Brooks Robinson on Tuesday.