Orioles right-hander David Hess ends season on positive note

Right-hander David Hess’ rookie season with the Orioles didn’t turn heads. He had his ups and downs. After his opportunity to join the team’s starting rotation in May arrived mostly by default, he received a midseason demotion to the minors and upon his return worked in the bullpen before rejoining the rotation — again more because of need than performance.

But as Hess, 25, made his final start of the 2018 season in the Orioles’ 2-1 loss to the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, he completed a two-month run in which he might have been the team’s most consistent starting pitcher, another label that must be taken in context.

Still, on Friday night, Hess ended his rookie campaign by…