Ortiz returns to Norfolk after spot start; Orioles allow six homers to Red Sox; Rogers provides some relief

BALTIMORE—It felt like old times at Oriole Park on Friday night — a lively crowd on a beautiful late spring evening. Trey Mancini put the Orioles on the board with his 15^th home run in the first to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Then the pummeling began. Before it ended, the Boston Red Sox had hit six home runs in a 13-2 rout of the Orioles.

Luis Ortiz, who was the emergency fill-in for injured starter Andrew Cashner (blister), labored through 80 pitches.  Those 80 pitches took him only through 3 1/3 innings, the shortest start since May 19 when Yefry Ramirez lasted only 3 1/3. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had told him to be aggressive; Ortiz walked five.

“I would say it was a tough one,” Ortiz said. “A tough one to get up here and not do so well.”

Ortiz, who was returned to Norfolk after the game, allowed two of the six home runs. Dan Straily, who replaced him, gave up four in 1 1/3 innings.

After Straily gave up J.D. Martinez’s second in as many innings, he was replaced by Josh Rogers, who was also called up before the game to give the bullpen some depth.

By the fifth inning, the Orioles trailed, 11-1.

“I thought he did a decent job,” Hyde said of Ortiz. “Eighty pitches with the third time through the order in the fourth … We had very limited options tonight, honestly.”

For the second straight night, Oriole pitchers allowed double-digit runs. It was the 12^th time in 2019 they’ve allowed 10 or more. It’s the fourth time they’ve done it in consecutive games this season. Former Oriole Eduardo Rodriguez worked seven innings, allowing one run on six hits.

It was the third time the Orioles have allowed at least six home runs. They haven’t won a series since April 22-24 and face Chris Sale, who is 7-2 with a 2.54 ERA against the Orioles, on Saturday afternoon.

The Orioles will add another pitcher before the game. It could be Jimmy Yacabonis, who recorded two outs for a save in Thursday’s game for Norfolk.

Strange sixth: Mancini led off the Orioles’ sixth with a single after Rodriguez had retired 12 straight. With one out, Pedro Severino lifted a long fly to center. Jackie Bradley Jr., who robbed Mancini of a home run on May 8 with an exceptional catch, slapped the ball back into play, turning a homer into a double.

Anthony Santander, who hit next, was retired on a fly to Martinez in right. Mancini tried to score and was thrown out, ending the inning with the Orioles down by 12.

Saving the bullpen: Rogers allowed two runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, keeping Hyde from having to use Shawn Armstrong, Richard Bleier, Miguel Castro, Paul Fry and Mychal Givens in a lost cause.

“I didn’t want to throw Mike or Rich in a game that we were losing,” Hyde said. “We were going to try to somehow navigate through with Ortiz, Dan and Rogers. And Rogers did a nice job there for the last four innings.”

Stewart on hold: DJ Stewart, who’s on the 10-day injured list with a sprained right ankle, was scheduled to jog on the field before Friday’s game, Hyde said.

He’s been performing “non-weight bearing” exercises. He won’t be traveling with the Orioles on the road trip to Oakland and Seattle that begins Monday.

“His ankle feels better,” Hyde said “He’s going to be a little while … He’s going to have to take some time to make sure the ankle’s right.”

Dwight Smith Jr., who’s on the seven-day concussion injured list, is nearing a return, Hyde said.

Alberto out sick: Hanser Alberto, who started at third base, left the game after four innings because of illness. He was replaced by Rio Ruiz.

Minor matters: Right-handed pitcherPedro Araujo, who was picked by the Orioles in the December 2017 Rule 5 draft, was transferred from Double-A Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk … Frederick left-hander Luis Perez has been added to North team for Tuesday’s Carolina League All-Star Game. Perez’s addition gives the Keys eight players in the game.