All-Star starter Burnes has no complaints about the reasons for chaos, but he is ready for normal

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Corbin Burnes is ready to get back into a more normal rhythm, though the right-handed pitcher from Baltimore isn’t complaining about the chaos that has surrounded him in recent weeks.

Burnes allowed one run and two hits in six innings as the Orioles, who lead the AL East, came out of the All-Star break on Friday night with a 9-1 victory over the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers.

Since his last game for the Orioles on July 10, the right-handed pitcher has made two trips home to Arizona to spend time with his newborn twin daughters, including a one-day trip to Texas to start the All-Star Game.

“Yeah, it’s been a lot. You know, it’s one of those sacrifices that I knew I was going to make when the family was going to spend the year there,” Burnes said. “Luckily, everything’s going well. So you’re not going to complain about having to fly to visit the family. But I’m definitely looking forward to having a normal week.”

Burnes (10-4) was back on the same mound where he started the All-Star Game three nights earlier. He struck out six batters but also had a season-high four walks while throwing 60 of 101 pitches for strikes.

“It felt like a normal start… once I get into my pre-race routine I can switch gears a little bit and focus a little bit,” he said.

The only run he gave up was a Nathaniel Lowe homer to center field in the second inning, after the Orioles had already hit two two-run homers.

“Yeah, definitely no normal routine for him between starts,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “He goes home, no normal rest, pitches in the All-Star Game, pitches an inning. Then two days off and then back in the big league game and he didn’t seem to miss a beat. He was fantastic tonight.”

Burnes, a fourth-time All-Star, went home before flying to Texas the morning of that game. He returned to Arizona after pitching a scoreless first inning, then rejoined his teammates for the regular-season restart against the Rangers.

The 29-year-old Burnes has a 2.38 ERA in his first year with Baltimore after being traded from Milwaukee in February. He can become a free agent after the season but is now the ace for the Orioles (59-38) as they try to reach the playoffs for the second straight year.

Burnes has completed at least six innings in 15 consecutive starts, a career high and the longest streak for an Orioles pitcher since Sidney Ponson’s 16 straight 20 years ago.

“He’s a top-of-the-rotation guy and one of the best in the league. He’s pitched like that so far this year,” Hyde said before the game when asked what he’s learned about Burnes. “Yeah, the whole package. It’s been great for the rest of our pitching staff to get six, seven innings almost every time.”