There was something in the Baltimore air, an aura of significance and, while it emanated most heavily from the young Orioles on the field, it percolated throughout Camden Yards — throughout the city itself.

The Orioles needed Saturday night’s 8-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays. They needed to find the same freedom they played with for so much of this season, and it erupted through unbridled roars for right-hander Grayson Rodriguez and shortstop Gunnar Henderson especially. They needed it because these are no ordinary games, no matter how much Baltimore’s players and manager insist otherwise.

These are the kinds of games that create lasting memories — for those playing and for those watching — and now the Orioles find themselves on the brink of achieving a playoff berth for the first time since 2016.

They could do so Sunday. All it takes is one more win.

“It was a matter of time,” Henderson said. “Every team goes through this at some point throughout the season, and I felt we haven’t really gotten on ourselves about it. Just gotta play through it, and we came out in a big way tonight.”

The significance of Saturday’s win is layered. For one, it ensures the Orioles hold a tiebreaker over the Rays by winning the season head to head against their division rival. That could prove pivotal in a race for Baltimore’s first American League East title since 2014. And, with the Orioles’ win and Texas Rangers’ loss, Baltimore’s magic number for the postseason is down to one game.

“I’m not saying the word,” manager Brandon Hyde said. The word he’s not saying: “postseason.”

Henderson and Rodriguez, a 22- and 23-year-old, respectively, set the tone for the Orioles. Henderson’s first-pitch single to begin the first inning paced an offense that broke out against Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow, and Rodriguez’s flame-throwing arm paved the way for a shutout in a career-high eight innings.

Henderson only bolstered his rookie of the year candidacy by driving a two-run homer in his second at-bat — again hunting for the first pitch — and in doing so he passed Cal Ripken Jr. for the most runs scored by an Orioles rookie in a single season. His 27th homer tied Eddie Murray for the third most by an Orioles rookie, and Henderson doesn’t appear done yet.

“Ya’ll’ve seen what Gunnar can do,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve gotten to watch that for a lot longer than all these Orioles fans have, I guess, since being in the minor leagues together. I’m glad the world’s finally seeing what kind of special talent he is.”

After right-hander Jack Flaherty managed four innings Friday night — forcing the Orioles bullpen to cover 15 outs — Baltimore needed length, at least, from Rodriguez. Before the game, Hyde acknowledged that “it’s a lot of pressure to put on somebody in his rookie year,” but there’s nowhere to hide on the mound this time of year.

Not against Tampa Bay. Not when a playoff berth is on the line. Not when the Orioles entered Saturday’s affair on a four-game losing streak.

“He’s definitely got all the ability to do it,” Hyde said hours before Rodriguez took the mound in front of another full house at Camden Yards. Rodriguez backed that belief with eight dominant innings, dimming any memories of an up-and-down beginning to his career that resulted in a demotion.

“He’s a tough kid,” Hyde said. “That was a tough pill for him to swallow with all the expectations this year, and give him a ton of credit for dealing with that, looking in the mirror a little bit, understanding that there’s some work to do, not a finished product — still has some work to do. But he is going to be an excellent starting pitcher in this league for a long time.”

Rodriguez became the youngest Orioles starter to throw eight scoreless innings since Zack Britton in 2011. And he did it with no walks against him for the first time in his career.

When the spotlight grew brightest, on the mound for the biggest start of his early career, Rodriguez performed his best. He retired the first nine batters in order and used his fastball more in one start than ever before. Through four innings, Rodriguez threw that high-velocity offering on 38 of 47 pitches. His usage hardly deviated the rest of the way, as he continued to pepper the zone with fastballs even as he mixed his curveball, changeup and slider slightly more frequently as he went deeper.

That fastball is the biggest difference between the early-season Rodriguez and the one who made his 21st start of 2023. He returned in July from a stint with Triple-A Norfolk more committed to what he has called his bread and butter — a fastball that touches triple digits and left more than a few Rays whiffing.

When Rodriguez was drafted in the first round in 2018 — by the previous front office management group — this is what the Orioles had in mind. He’s the kind of power pitcher who can make statements as the days grow shorter and the pressure increases.

“Just another regular-season game,” Rodriguez said, even though he admitted the energy of the crowd fueled him for much of the night, especially after a comebacker left a contusion on his leg. “Not paying attention to the standings or whatever. That’s been the popular topic. It’s not what we were looking forward to coming into this game. It’s just taking it one game at a time. The real important games are going to be in October.”

And Rodriguez appears destined to pitch in those real important games next month.

General manager Mike Elias inherited a pitcher who had the potential to be a centerpiece of Baltimore’s rebuild. Elias then drafted catcher Adley Rutschman and Henderson with the first two selections of his tenure in 2019, putting his own stamp on a revolution that has made the Orioles a must-watch club this season.

On Saturday, when the Orioles needed it most, those young stars showed they’re more than ready for this stage. And now Baltimore is one win away from clinching a playoff berth. Just feel the air — it’s different.

andy.kostka@thebaltimorebanner.com