BALTIMORE — The relaxed rhythms of a baseball game allow time for thoughtful consideration. A catcher can ruminate about what sign to put down for his pitcher. A batter can survey the defense and infer how he will be pitched. And a manager is rarely stuck without sufficient time to get the right pitcher warm.

Every once in a while, though, a rapid-fire decision must be made.

And sometimes, as happened here on Wednesday night, the direction of a baseball game can pivot on it. While Greg Bird belted a grand slam, Sonny Gray delivered a salving performance and the Yankees got out of town with a resounding 9-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, the roots to their agreeable getaway could be traced to a single play.

With no score, runners at the corners and one out in the third inning, Didi Gregorius hit a crisp one-hopper back to pitcher Dylan Bundy and the course for the rest of the game was set in motion.

As soon as the ball settled into the glove of the right-handed Bundy, he faced a choice: throw home to get Brett Gardner, who had bolted from third, or turn and fire to shortstop Manny Machado at second to start a 1-6-3 double play.