Someone’s three-game win streak had to give. The Orioles came into tonight with three consecutive wins against the White Sox, while the San Francisco Giants just swept the Phillies. Shane Baz and the Orioles were not up to the task, and by the end of the night, the Giants’ win streak was up to four games. The Orioles reset their counter after the 6-3 loss and will try to start a new one tomorrow.
Baz battled through five innings. “Battled” is slang for when a pitcher stunk, but did not blow up. He worked around traffic in each of the first two innings before surrendering a run in the third. He got two quick outs, but then Willy Adames went deep. It was a no-doubt opposite field shot to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. Baz went on to walk Luis Arraez for the second time in the game, which is pretty bad. It doubled his walk total on the year. Matt Chapman singled, but Rafael Devers grounded out to keep any more damage at bay.
Until the next inning, that is, when Baz allowed two more runs thanks to four more baserunners. Casey Schmitt doubled, then scored on a single from Heliot Ramos. Ramos scored on an Adames double. Patrick Bailey also singled for good measure. Baz finally retired Arraez to strand two.
Baz flirted with more danger in the fifth but emerged unscathed. After a weak pop-fly single by Devers, Schmitt got his second double of the game. It was a scorcher to left field and put runners on second and third with just one out. But Baz got a strikeout and a groundout to get out of it.
After five innings, Baz’s day was done. It was ugly. He threw 99 pitches and allowed 11 baserunners. He did not have a clean inning. His ERA went from 4.09 to 4.50. He left four innings for the bullpen to cover. But the good thing is that, when he left, the Orioles were in the game. They still had a chance, if the offense were to take it. They did not take it, nor did the bullpen hold the line.
One batter who did not forget how to get on base is Adley Rutschman. With two outs in the first inning, he lofted a ball to left field that fell in for a double. He doubled again in the third, that one a line drive to right field. He had a solid single in the fifth inning. But he wasn’t involved in any scoring on account of the ice-cold Pete Alonso batting behind him. Alonso struck out twice and grounded out once behind Adley, each time ending the inning.
The single run on the board for the Orioles came in the fourth. Dylan Beavers walked, then came all the way around to score on a double by Leody Tavaras. Neither Jeremiah Jackson nor Blaze Alexander could bring Tavaras home, though Alexander made solid contact that lined right to Matt Chapman at third base.
Through six innings, the Orioles had five hits, all by Rutschman or Taveras. Gunnar Henderson walked once along with Beavers. It was not a great night for the offense. Taveras was not in the original lineup; he was a last-minute add after Tyler O’Neill was scratched with illness. Things would have been even more dire if not for his late add.
With the Orioles down by two going into the seventh inning, Craig Albernaz turned to a new relief pitcher, lefty Nick Raquet. Yennier Cano had looked fantastic in the sixth, but that bullpen goodwill was about to be undone. Raquet got two outs sandwiched around a Chapman walk, but had a hard time closing the door. Schmitt hit yet another double, his third of the game. Chapman scored, then Jung Hoo Lee hit his first home run of the year. Just like that, the Giants were up, 6-1. Thanks for trying, Raquet.
Down by five runs after seven innings, the Orioles turned to Albert Suárez. Suárez had two good innings, which was nice. But it didn’t matter in the end.
Giants starter Landen Roupp, who had kept the Orioles offense in check, exited after six innings. With Roupp out of the game, at least Pete Alonso finally got on base. He took a two-out walk in the eighth inning and Samuel Basallo followed with the same. But pinch-hitter Ryan Mountcastle flew out to end the inning.
Rookie pitcher Blade Tidwell came in to pitch the ninth, and he was not good. Too bad the Orioles were already down by five runs, or it might have been more exciting. Tidwell got to two outs with a runner, Jeremiah Jackson, on first base. He threw a fastball down the middle to Henderson, who destroyed it. Gunnar’s fifth home run of the season was of the FUHR variety and cut the score to 6-3.
Taylor Ward followed with a double and Rutschman came to the plate. Even if he had homered, the Orioles would still have been down by two. But he did not. He just missed an 0-1 sweeper and popped out to end the game. I guess he just didn’t have four hits in him.
Orioles lose, 6-3. They and the Giants play again tomorrow at 7:15 with Chris Bassitt scheduled to face off against Logan Webb. What could go wrong?
