Rich Dubroff

Another rough night for Harvey as Orioles lose, 10-2; Mancini to face Olson in Home Run Derby; Minor league update

BALTIMORE—Matt Harvey hasn’t won a game since May 1st and, in the 12 starts since then, he has completed five innings just once.

Harvey is the most experienced starter in a rotation that also includes Keegan Akin, Thomas Eshelman, Jorge López and Spenser Watkins. For now, he’ll remain in that rotation.

On Wednesday night, Harvey made his final start before the All-Star break. It was another tough one as the Toronto Blue Jays touched him for nine hits in 3 2/3 innings in a 10-2 Orioles loss before an announced crowd of 7,457 at Oriole Park.

Harvey’s night began with some controversy. Marcus Semien walked, and Bo Bichette singled him to second. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined to left, and Ryan McKenna tried to make a diving catch. The Orioles thought Semien was out at second when he didn’t get back to the base in time.

Instead, after a replay review, Guerrero was awarded a single and an RBI, and Semien was allowed to score.

Randal Grichuk’s force play scored Bichette, and Cavan Biggio’s double scored Guerrero. The Orioles were quickly down, 3-0.

Manager Brandon Hyde thought the Orioles should have turned a double play on Grichuk’s grounder.

“We don’t play our best defense behind him [Harvey], and that tends to hurt,” Hyde said. “I think it was a tough night, but there’s a long first inning. I thought we gave away a couple of outs to get him out of that first inning, to only allow one run.”

In the fourth, Harvey (3-10) gave up three more runs on RBI singles by Lourdes Gurriel, Bichette and Guerrero. In 3 2/3 innings, he allowed six runs on nine hits. His ERA is 7.70.

“They just kind of singled me to death,” Harvey said. “It was one of those starts where I left the ball over the middle a little bit, and they put the ball in play, and it happened to be where we weren’t playing.

“Obviously, frustrated. It’s been a rough first half. I’ve just got to hit the reset button. I think the break is going to help. I think a lot of us are banged up and tired and definitely need the rest and time off.”

Harvey won three straight games at one point, but since then he’s 0-9 with three no-decisions.

“It’s been good at times, and it’s been really bad at times,” Harvey said. “Really finding out what’s been causing those bad times, bad innings. It’s like, I go out, I have two, three good innings, four good innings, and then things pretty much all year have imploded.

“That’s something I’ll work for in the second half, try to just be more consistent throughout each start. With that time off, you can really look at what’s causing those last few things, whether it’s being a little tired or just get off your game plan a little bit. You’ve got to keep pushing through and figure out how to minimize the damage of bad innings.”

Hyde doesn’t have options with starting pitchers John Means and Bruce Zimmermann on the 10-day injured list. Means is expected back after the All-Star break. Zimmermann might not be back until the end of the month.

“Matt’s grinding right now,” Hyde said. “He didn’t pitch much last year at all. He’s going to get some time off to recharge. I think that’s important that he gets some time to rest because he’s really toed the rubber for us this entire first half. There’s probably some fatigue in there as well.”

Biggio’s sacrifice fly scored Teoscar Hernández with Adam Plutko pitching in the fifth.

The Orioles (28-58) scored a run against Hyun Jin Ryun (8-5) in the fifth. Domingo Leyba, Austin Wynns and Cedric Mullins began the inning with singles. Leyba scored on Austin Hays’ fly to deep center, but Wynns was thrown out at the plate to end the inning when he tried to score on Trey Mancini’s fly to right.

Ryu beat the Orioles for the third time since June 20th. In those three starts, Toronto (44-40) has scored 26 runs.

César Valdez gve up a two-run home run to Bichette, his 16th, in the top of the sixth to make it 9-1.

Zac Lowther allowed a run on an RBI double by Hernández in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI single scored Hays.

Kelvin Gutierrez, who was called up by the Orioles before the game after Maikel Franco was placed on the 10-day injured list, became the 46th player used by the team this season when he played the ninth inning at third base. He walked in his only at-bat.

Notes: Trey Mancini will face off against Oakland’s Matt Olson in the first round of the Home Run Derby on Monday. The other contestants will be the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso, Texas’ Joey Gallo, Los Angeles’ Shohei Otani, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, Washington’s Juan Soto and Colorado’s Trevor Story. … Keegan Akin (0-4, 7.46 ERA) will face Alek Manoah (2-0, 2.70) on Thursday night. For the final three games before the All-Star break, the Orioles play the Chicago White Sox. On Friday, Jorge López (2-11, 6.02) will face Dallas Keuchel (6-3, 4.48). Thomas Eshelman (0-1, 7.16) will face Lucas Giolito (6-6, 4.20) on Saturday, Spenser Watkins (1-0, 1.50) will face Dylan Cease (7-4. 4.14) on Sunday. Saturday’s game will begin at 4:05 p.m. … According to STATS, Watkins’ win on Tuesday night was the first by an Oriole starter in 24 games, setting a club record. … The Orioles allowed 10 or more runs for the 13th time this season. … Mancini will face off against Oakland’s Matt Olson in the first round of the Home Run Derby on Monday. The other contestants will be the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso, Texas’ Joey Gallo, Los Angeles’ Shohei Otani, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, Washington’s Juan Soto and Colorado’s Trevor Story.

Minor Matters: Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis gave up six runs on nine hits in four innings as Triple-A Norfolk lost to Durham, 11-2.

Second baseman Jahmai Jones hit his fourth home run. Centerfielder Yusniel Diaz was hitless in four at-bats, and he’s batting .184.

Leftfielder Robert Neustrom drove in all three runs in Double-A Bowie’s 4-3 loss to Richmond in 10 innings. Neustrom and catcher Adley Rutschman had two hits.

Kyle Brnovich started and allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. Gray Fenter gave up a run on two hits in four innings, striking out six and walking two.

Rightfielder Zach Watson drove in three runs and designated hitter J.D. Mundy had three hits as High-A Aberdeen scored six runs in the eighth in a 9-1 win over Greenville.

Drew Rom (3-0) pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, striking out six and walking three.

Brandon Young, Thomas Girard and Igancio Feliz combined on a four-hitter as Low-A Delmarva beat Salem, 7-1.

Rightfielder Cristopher Cespedes drove in two runs and centerfielder Hudson Haskin had three hits.

36 Comments

36 Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment Login or Register Here

Leave a Reply

To Top