The Orioles set the tone for Friday night’s loss to the Detroit Tigers in the top of the first when Cedric Mullins and Jorge Mateo reached on infield hits and pulled off a double steal with Anthony Santander at the plate and one out. Santander popped out, and the frustration was just beginning.
The wasted scoring opportunities continued into the late innings. After back-to-back home runs by Trey Mancini and Santander to begin the eighth, cutting a four-run deficit in half, the Orioles loaded the bases for the second straight inning but couldn’t push across another run.
The Orioles loaded the bases in each of the final three innings but lost to the Tigers, 4-2, at Comerica Park. Baltimore (14-19) left 14 on base and was 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Trailing 4-0 with two outs in the seventh, Robinson Chirinos and Chris Owings walked against Tigers starter Eduardo Rodriguez (1-2). Mullins’ second infield single loaded the bases against Andrew Chafin, and Mateo struck out to end the seventh.
Mancini hit his second home run and Santander his fourth on consecutive pitches against Jacob Barnes to start the eighth. After Barnes walked Tyler Nevin, Alex Lange replaced Barnes. Rougned Odor grounded into a force, and Rylan Bannon reached on an error by third baseman Jeimer Candelario.
Chirinos struck out and Owings walked. Mullins popped out to second baseman Jonathan Schoop to end the eighth.
In the ninth, Mateo and Mancini were hit by Gregory Soto. Santander struck out, and Nevin walked.
Austin Hays, who didn’t start after suffering a laceration of his left hand in Thursday’s game in St. Louis, ran for Mancini.
Reliever Will Vest struck out pinch-hitter Ramón Urias, who had missed the last three games because of an abdominal strain, and Bannon to end the game.
Cabrera’s home run ties Murray: Last August 11th, Miguel Cabrera hit his 499th career home run in the fifth inning against Matt Harvey. Cabrera had two more at-bats that night and failed to hit his 500th home run.
Detroit manager A.J. Hinch sat Cabrera the next day. The Tigers were beginning a six-game homestand the next night, and Hinch wanted the slugger to hit his 500th home run at Comerica Park.
He didn’t hit it during that homestand and it wasn’t until August 22nd that Cabrera hit his 500th home run in Toronto against Steven Matz.
On Friday night, Cabrera hit his 504th home run, tying him with Eddie Murray for 27th on the all-time list.
Cabrera has another year remaining on his eight-year, $240 million contract, and before the end of next season, could climb higher on the list.
Earlier this season, Cabrera became only the seventh player to hit 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. Murray and another former Oriole, Rafael Palmeiro, are two of the other seven. On Thursday, the Orioles played against the retiring Albert Pujols in St. Louis, one of the others. Henry Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez are the others.
Cabrera also had an RBI double in the Orioles’ 4-2 loss to the Tigers on Friday night.
Oriole starter Jordan Lyles (2-3), who pitched well for the first five innings, became the 350th pitcher to surrender a home run to Cabrera.
It was the 26th home run Cabrera hit against the Orioles, the most against a non-American League Central team.
Reyes another unlikely Oriole: Denyi Reyes became the 37th Oriole used in 2022. Reyes, who was taken along on the road trip on the taxi squad, was activated before Thursday’s game in St. Louis.
Reyes, who pitched for the Dominican Republic in the Olympics last summer and spent seven seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, signed with the Orioles as a minor league free agent after last season.
He started the third Grapefruit League game against Boston in Fort Myers and allowed three runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings.
On Friday night, Reyes pitched two spotless innings.
In Thursday’s bullpen game, Reyes was the final reliever manager Brandon Hyde had remaining when the game ended.
Had Hyde not used six relievers to win the game, Reyes could have been optioned to Norfolk, but with Keegan Akin and Bryan Baker pitching multiple innings, and Bautista throwing 24 pitches on Thursday, Reyes got a chance to make his debut.
Minor league update: Adley Rutschman went 2-for-4 in Triple-A Norfolk’s 4-2 loss to Memphis. Third baseman Kelvin Gutiérrez also had two hits.
Reliever Cody Sedlock struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, tying Steve Johnson (2012) for most by a Norfolk relief pitchers since the Tides became an Orioles affiliate in 2007. Centerfielder Kyle Stowers was hitless in four at-bats, striking out twice as his average fell to .196. Second baseman Jahmai Jones was placed on the injured list because of right elbow inflammation.
Second baseman Jordan Westburg drove in two runs and catcher Cody Roberts hit a two-run home run, his second, as Double-A Bowie lost to Reading, 11-10, in 11 innings.
First baseman J.D. Mundy and leftfielder Zach Watson each had three hits. The Baysox scored single runs in the 10th and 11th. The Fightin’ Phils scored a run in the bottom of the 10th and two in the 11th. Taylor Burch (0-1) took the loss.
High-A Aberdeen scored six runs in the first innings on the way to an 8-3 win over Hudson Valley. Rightfielder John Rhodes hit a three-run home run, his third, and first baseman TT Bowens followed with his second homer. Connor Gillispie (3-1) threw six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and struck out eight.
Shane Davis (1-3) allowed five runs, four earned, in four innings as Single-A Delmarva lost to Salem, 9-2. Rightfielder Davis Tavárez had two hits for the Shorebirds, who are 9-21. Right-hander Keagan Gillies was placed on the injured list because of a right shoulder strain.