BALTIMORE—The Orioles entered Tuesday night’s game with the Boston Red Sox with a spotless record. They were 0-21 when trailing after eight innings.
Make that 0-22.
Branden Kline gave up a three-run home run to Mitch Moreland, his 10th in the fifth inning, and the Orioles trailed, 6-3. They rallied and scored two runs in the eighth, but ended up losing 8-5.
Hanser Alberto had tied the score at three with a two-out home run in the fourth. After Joey Rickard followed with a single, Boston pitchers retired 11 straight Orioles.
With one out in the eighth, Trey Mancini singled and scored on Dwight Smith Jr.’s double. After Rio Ruiz grounded to first, Chris Davis singled to left, and Smith scored, bringing the Orioles to within 6-5.
Red Sox closer Matt Barnes came into the game and struck out Stevie Wilkerson.
Evan Phillips came in for the ninth, and he didn’t retire any of his four batters — walking two, hitting one and allowing a single.
Two runners scored, and that put the game out of reach.
Ruiz hit a two-run home run in the first, his third of the season.
“We put some good at-bats up the whole entire game, going back to the last game,” Ruiz said. “It’s a tough team to go against, but you know we’re right there with them, every day.”
Orioles pitchers walked eight, and three scored. It was the fourth time this season they’ve walked eight or more.
“They take really good at-bats, too, so give them a lot of credit,” manager Brandon Hyde said of the Red Sox. “I thought both teams had great at-bats all night. And their defense, they saved a lot of runs. A bunch of great plays. So I was really happy with our at-bats. I thought we battled, grinded out at-bats against really good pitching. Just a little short.”
Web gems: Boston rightfielder Mookie Betts made two outstanding plays, a diving catch and a leaping one on the run, and centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. also made a diving catch to prevent further damage by the Orioles’ offense. But Orioles first baseman Chris Davis made the play of the night, diving to his right to snare a hard grounder with runners on second and third, and then making a backhand flip from his knees that second baseman Hanser Alberto caught in stride on the run to get the out at first.
Hess’ night: David Hess, who was set to go into the bullpen until Alex Cobb’s back injury, had his second straight short start. He allowed three runs, all on home runs. Hess gave up three hits, walking three and striking out five and threw 92 pitches in the four innings.
J.D. Martinez hit a two-run home run in the first, and Xander Bogaerts hit one in the fourth. Hess has given up 10 home runs in 34 1/3 innings.
“I think there were some good things to take away from it,” Hess said. “Made some good pitches when it really came down to it, but I think the biggest killer is obviously the home runs and the walks. The home runs put the runs on the board and the walks drove the pitch count up, so I’ve just got to be a little bit better going forward and just make some better pitches in the strike zone and force them to put it in play.”
His only win came on April 1 when he was removed after pitching 6 1/3 hitless innings.
Bright spot in the bullpen: Gabriel Ynoa pitched three innings, giving up a hit and walk and striking out three
In five appearances, Ynoa has allowed a run on eight hits in 11 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.79.
With Hess not giving the team significant innings, perhaps it’s time for Ynoa to get a start.
“I think he would be in the mix if we went in that direction,” Hyde said. “But he’s also pitching his way into higher-leverage situations and being somebody that you can trust on the mound when the game’s close. I think he can probably do a variety of things for you. He kind of came here as our long guy. He’s pitching his way into a different situation. So good for him.”
Ynoa, who missed almost all of 2018 because of shin and shoulder injuries, began the season with Triple-A Norfolk before his April 21 addition.
“I think the key has been the way I’ve been working,” he said through a translator.
“I’ve been studying the hitters more, and I trust my pitches more this time around.”
Ynoa has starting experience in the big leagues but hasn’t pitched in crucial relief innings.
“I’m ready to help in both situations,” Ynoa said. “I just want to do my job, regardless of the role. Whenever they call my name, I want to be ready and help my team.”
Bleier’s night: Richard Bleier began his rehab assignment at Class-A Frederick and allowed a run on two hits with a strikeout in an inning. Bleier threw 14 pitches.
Bleier has been on the 10-day injured list because of left shoulder tendinitis since April 10.
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I'm thinking that giving up on a struggling Hess so soon might not be conducive to Mr. Elia's master plan. What would be next ... benching or cutting Crush? Perhaps bringing up a couple of outfielders and/or maybe a catcher that can actually hit a little? In the world of tanking, some might consider replacing Hess so soon blasphemous!
Boog, you are too mean to the Boy Genius. Don't you know you are not allowed to criticize him?
As the 76R's said "You must trust the Process."
Victor ... I'm not so sure as whether or not I'm acually being mean or criticizing Elias. I hate the thought of it .. but tanking may indeed be the way to rebuild in this era. But that doesn't mean I have to like it does it?
HOWEVER ... I'm definitely frustrated by the lack of major league caliber players on the squad. I'd like to see a few of our prospects swim or cut bait. (to butcher a cliche') I believe the whole "they need more seasoning in the minors" is simply codespeak for losing on purpose ... aka Tanking.
What IS there to criticize about Elias? Unless there's a hidden grudge(Duquette maybe)?
The idea that Elias is making his roster decisions in order to deliberately "tank" the team is silly. Does anyone believe that the Orioles would actually be a significantly better team at this point in time with Anthony Santander instead of Stevie Wilkerson, or Chance Cisco instead Austin Wynns?
Face it, the Orioles awful pitching (last in the league in E.R.A. and opponent BA) is a much bigger problem than their offense. So, unless you can identify the MLB ready pitchers that Elias is keeping buried in the minors, please stop complaining about "tanking."
Please stop complaining about me complaining. And yes I believe he's tanking. History shows he was a part of a more-than successfully tanking franchise in Houston. I'm not sure a few more hits would account for another win or so, but I'd like to see the best players the organization has.
Boog... as I’ve writing for almost a year, there’s little to nothing to draw from. Other than Delmarva I don’t see a lot of upside for a couple of years with what’s out there. There’s a pimple of hope that a few might even make it to the “bigs” but none with game changing abilities. What I’m hanging my hopes on is the draft. Maybe Elias has his finger on some scouts with “moxie” rather than the dim bulbs DD had under him and they can identify some kids who really do have talent. I don’t live far from Bowie and in the two games I’ve seen it’s been cringeworthy. They just moved McCoy up from Frederick and he looked good in his first game... both fielding and hitting. But the rest of them... ????
I would have to say Ynoa is working toward a shot at starting.He looks a lot better than the last couple years.Hess definitely needs to change a few things as what he is throwing now isn't going to do it.Kline got lit up,then got aggressive and looked a lot better.Phillips gave up walk to first guy then really fell apart.Those things happen,to be continued on him at this point so far.You have to notice Davis is a different hitter right now and I hope he continues to improve and that this is not a hot streak he is on.Not trying to be funny as I am serious that he is making contact fairly consistent and not just standing there.Maybe some of the hard work coaches and him are putting in is going to help.And Dwight Smith is going to be a MLB hitter,I am almost as sure of that as I was him making the team in spring training.If the Orioles can get any semblance of starting pitching and a solid reliever or two they will be more fun to watch.I realize that is easily said and that they are a long ways from that happening and their vet pitchers are all down with injuries.
Interesting to see which guys take advantage of this season of extended tryouts — and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, since the new front office needs to see exactly what they’ve got at this level, before they start promoting guys from further down on the farm. Means and Ynoa seem to have learned enough to enjoy some success, at least so far, along with Smith and Severino. Ruiz settling in at third. Better record than last year, and there seems to be a much better attitude.
Hess fits the role of a million other O' pitchers we've seen--a good outing followed by 3 or 4 duds. He's just holding the fort down but there is breath blowing down his neck(Ynoa,Ramirez). Heard Thorne,Palmer bring it up and I was wondering the same--is the Mancini's hand injury more of a problem for him than he's leading on? 2018 all over again?
His 2 doubles so far tonight and the head first slide into 2nd lead me to believe he’s ok.