Sep 1, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Dillon Tate (55) is taken out of the game during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
In August, the Orioles lost 24 of 28 games, just two by one run. September couldn’t come fast enough. It arrived on Wednesday, and even though the Orioles were competitive against the Toronto Blue Jays, Dillon Tate allowed a run in the eighth, and they lost, 5-4, at the Rogers Centre.
Tate couldn’t handle a dribbler by Bo Bichette to lead off the inning, and it went for an infield single. He hit Teoscar Hernández with a pitch. Alejandro Kirk’s deep fly to center allowed Bichette and Hernández to advance a base.
“He probably thought that ball was hit harder. There’s a misplay there,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He’s a ground ball away from getting out of the inning, a double play to Hernández, but he runs the ball away and hits him.”
Marcos Diplán replaced Tate (0-5), and Randal Grichuk flied to Cedric Mullins in center. Bichette scored the go-ahead run while Hernández was thrown out in a rundown to end the inning.
“I felt Diplán had a better chance punching out Grichuk than to leave Dillon out there,” Hyde said. “He got the fastball up, and Grichuk got just enough of it up to get in far enough in the outfield.”
Tim Mayza (5-2) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win, and Jordan Romano earned his 15th save in the ninth. He was helped by a generous umpire’s call on a third strike to Mullins.
Marcus Semien’s 33rd home run with one out in the first gave Toronto (70-62) a 1-0 lead against Oriole starter Matt Harvey.
The Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second when Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle drew consecutive bases-loaded, back-to-back walks against Toronto starter Steven Matz.
“We squandered some opportunities offensively early,” Hyde said. “We probably could have gotten Matz out of that game in the second inning. The big hit eluded us. We could have put a big number up.”
The Orioles were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
The Blue Jays scored three runs against Harvey in the fourth. A run-scoring single by Hernández tied the score, and Lourdes Gurriel drove in two with a hit to give the Blue Jays a 4-2 lead.
“I feel like I was throwing strikes, just not quality ones,” Harvey said. “It’s just one of those starts where physically I didn’t feel that great and it was kind of a battle from the beginning. Unfortunately, I gave up some runs in the fourth. I was trying to at least get us through five. That inning piled up on me.”
Harvey allowed four runs on six hits in four innings. He’s the only starter who has stayed in the rotation throughout the season.
“There’s still starts to be had this year, and obviously not happy with the start tonight. I wasn’t able to go deep into the game. In my mind, I should have given up one or two runs in that game and pitched until the sixth. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that.
“I couldn’t be happier that I’ve made 26 starts and taken the ball every fifth day. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that.”
Austin Wynns drove in Jorge Mateo with a single in the fifth. Trey Mancini’s double scored Mountcastle in the sixth to tie the score, 4-4.
Jorge López replaced Tanner Scott with runners on first and third and one out in the bottom of the seventh and struck out Semien and got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to fly out to right. He was pitching for the second night in a row.
Minor league update: Hunter Harvey allowed four runs on four hits while recording only two outs as Triple-A Norfolk lost the first game of a doubleheader to Charlotte, 7-5. Harvey, who has been on the 10-day injured list for nearly two months because of a strained lat, walked one and struck out one.
Zac Lowther (0-5) gave up three runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Paul Fry, who was optioned to Norfolk after Sunday’s game, retired the only batter he faced.
Kevin Smith pitched five shutout innings, allowing three hits, as the Tides beat Charlotte, 3-1, in the second game, which was shortened by rain to six innings. Smith (3-4) struck out four and walked one. Eric Hanhold registered his fourth save.
Ty Blach pitched two scoreless innings for Low-A Delmarva in their 10-8 loss to Carolina. Blach, who had Tommy John surgery in July 2020, started five games for the Orioles in 2019. First baseman Jacob Teter drove in three runs for the Shorebirds.
Double-A Bowie’s game with Somerset, and High-A Aberdeen’s game with Jersey Shore were rained out.
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If Hunter Harvey is healthy he needs to answer the bell & pitch in the majors, if he can’t then do something with him, he can work at Boog’s BBQ, but would probably have to get a haircut, Tate is just about as bad…go O’s…
Harvey would get hurt putting on the apron and end up on FMLA or would want workers comp., if he worked for Boog.
Harvey kept you in the game all you can ask for. Who’s bright idea was it to bunt with Mullins up and a backup catcher on first? That was just stupid. Take the bat out of your best hitter to bunt. Tate has been extremely unlucky the past week or so. He’s made some good pitches that found holes. Idk how Bitchette hits some of the balls he’s been hitting in this series.
Agree, he’s a terror (at least against us) on the base paths as well, need to keep him off base…go O’s…
C'mon man ...the ability to bunt has been a key tool in the emergence of Mullins as a star player. You can't blame the decision for the baserunners gaffe.
(note: I bet Sisco wouldn't have been caught leaning) :)
Drinks on me BRR, Sisco is rated the best base runner amongst Sisco, Severino, and Wynns by FanGraphs...best baserunning catcher this year is Realmuto with Philly.
Didn't get to see all of the game--storm reaked havoc in NJ so I'll wing it with a few off the wall comments. I like Mountcastle but PLEASE Ryan stop rolling your eyes after every pitch,agree why was Mullins bunting--to move Wynns into scoring position?,Santander should have caught and threw from RF in the 8th(better arm),Tate and Scott continue to confound,Hyde seems dispirited(to say the least),heard/saw a comparison of Urias to Melvin Mora--hmmm not bad. Being that I live in central NJ and am forced to listen to Yankees announcers when they play O's on DIRECTV this double whammy of those announcers and the O's playing at Yankee Stadium may force me to disconnect from my beloved O's for the weekend. Don't think I have the stomach for it.
Thought exactly the same thing on the tag up by Bichette, expected Santander to take the ball, only thing I really question regarding Cedric is his arm strength…go O’s…
Hunter Harvey, Tate and of course the lefty who hits batters and is terrible in the clutch. Three promising guys with above average fastballs who stink. Harvey is a injury waiting to happen.
New or additional pitching coach or sport psychologist might help IMO. The pitchers you mentioned seem to have "great stuff" but the results aren't there consistently yet...
When Tate comes in, Old Norm changes the channel......Game Over! Same with Scott.
Time to pull the plug on Hunter Harvey, he would get hurt doing the dishes!
No need to mention blaaaaaaaaaaaaach or Fry, those ships have sailed!
"Paul Fry, who was optioned to Norfolk after Sunday’s game, retired the only batter he faced." Enough said.
Orioles #1!
Okay, looking forward to the Rule 5 draft this off season, there are some tough decisions on the horizon. The O's currently have two players (Lakins & Zimmermann) on the 60 day IL in addition to their 40 man roster. Matt Harvey will be a free agent at the end of the season. I suggest DFA'ing these players: Abad, D Knight, Mattson, Wade, Watkins, and Wynns. 22 players to keep on the 40 man roster (of course you may disagree, but did you provide your own list eh?): Akin, Baumann, Diplan, Ellis, H Harvey, Hay, J Lopez, Mancini, Mateo, McKenna, Means, Mouncastle, Mullins, Santander, Scott, Severino (get over it), Stewart, Sulser, Tate, Urias, T Wells, and B Zimmermann. 2 minor leaguers to add the 40 man roster: G Rodriguez and A Rutschman, hope these guys pan out. So that's 24 on the 40 man roster, with 1 FA and six DFA/released. The following 13 players currently on the 40 man roster are question marks - should they be kept on the 40 man roster or DFA/released? Bannon, Burdi, Y Diaz, Fry, Greene, Gutierrez, J Jones, Kremer, Lakins, Lowther, Martin, Nevin, A Wells. These 13 players will compete with 19 minor leaguers that will be exposed to the R5 draft for the first time this off season if not added to the 40 man roster. 1 or 2 players previously exposed to the R5 draft may also be candidates for the 40 man roster.
So if you assume 39 players on the 40 man roster (need have a vacancy in order to draft a player in the R5 draft), there are 13+19+1 = 33 players competing for 39-24=15 final spots on the 40 man roster
OhMy!, I know, at least I think I know, that it wasn’t your intention to demoralize me for next season before this one has even ended, but looking at your list, and basically, unfortunately, not disagreeing with anything on it, that’s how I felt after looking at it. I’m past disillusionment to the point of apathetic right now concerning this season, but with the exception of AR and GR, there’s not a helluva lot different to look forward to next year. And I’m sorry to say it but those two guys won’t make too much difference.
Sevy go bye bye!
That hurts me Buzz! Hurt to my core...but I'm okay with it if the O's sign Zunino or (gasp) Posey to mentor Rutschman...
Save the money for a pitcher, Rutschman doesn’t need any mentoring…go O’s…
DLG! No be demoralized! Be uplifted and elevated! Starting rotation of G Rodriguez, Baumann, Means, Zimmermann, and DL Hall (who I forgot to add to the 40 man initially) should be pretty good, maybe even 4 x 15 game winners in there. Bullpen with T Wells and J Lopez anchoring it might be be pretty good too! Adding Rutschman playing 5 out of 6 games to Mullins, Mountcastle, Mancini is a good core and if Urias remains a steady bat, and if Santander, Hays, Stewart, Mateo have break out seasons, the O' should be over 0.500. No be demoralized!!!
You're right! We'll have ... or better yet ... maybe we'll have have 15 x 4 game winners?!?
Orioles #1...Win AL EAST IN 2022!
Go Birds! Yea!
I guess 15 x 4 game winners would be a slight improvement upon this season, so you got me there ORN1F!
Okay, back to the 40 man roster for this off season, here is who I like as sure things (25):
Position Players (110: Hays (OF), Mancini (DH/1B), Mateo (2B/3B/SS/OF), McKenna (OF), Mouncastle (1B/DH), Mullins (OF), Rutschman (C/1B), Santander (OF), Severino (C), Stewart (OF), Urias (2B/3B/SS)
Pitchers (14): Akin, Baumann (SP), Diplan, Ellis, DL Hall (SP fingers crossed), H Harvey, J Lopez, Means (SP), G Rodriguez (SP), Scott, Sulser, Tate, T Wells, B Zimmermann (SP)
None of the 15 minor leaguers already exposed to R5 draft should be protected IMO, though Sedlock is showing a bit of promised at AAA. Here are those 15 players: Bautista, Bishop, Carmona, Cumberland, Custodio, Feliz, Fenter, Hanifee (60 IL), Hudgins, McCoy, Peralta, R Ripken, R Rodriguez, Sedlock, and Vespi.
There are 19 (nineteen!) minor leaguers that are scheduled to be eligible for the R5 draft this off season if not added to the O's 40 man roster. Here they are listed by category -
Add to 40 man roster: DL Hall
Question marks (9): Bradish, Greg Cullen (look him up geeze), Dorrian, B Knight, Neustrom, K Smith, Lamar Sparks (yeah look him up too lazy bones), Adam Stauffer (last one you should look up), Vavra
Do Not Protect from R5 (9): Conroy, Graffanino, Adam Hall (sorry), Joyner, D Lebron, Naughton, L Rodriguez, D Tavarez, Tolentino
So the question mark players are 13 from current 40 man roster + 9 minor leaguers = 22 competing for 39-25=14 spots! Tough decisions await the O's FO. Here's hoping they protect 39, not 38, and that they pick a Tyler Wells and not a Mac Sceroler (still love you Mac) with their one R5 draft pick...
Will provide my 14 picks tomorrow, to all a good night especially CP! And BRR! And Rich too!
Looking at your 40 man roster you have Rutschman and Grayson Rodriguez. They don’t need to be protected until next year. So they won’t be on the 40 man winter roster. They can still be added to the active roster next year which ( barring a strike) will probably happen
I suggest adding Jones and/or Bannon to have 3-4 non-1b infielders
Or maybe Vavra