Orioles’ offense sleeps again in 6-0 loss to Astros

BALTIMORE-What happened? The Orioles’ offense is a terrible slump. In three of their last five games, they’ve been held to three hits. On Thursday night, they didn’t have a hit over the final 5 2/3 innings in a 6-0 loss to the Houston Astros.

It was their fifth shutout loss of the season and their first since July 11^th.

Gunnar Henderson and Ryan Mountcastle doubled in the first and second innings against Spencer Arrighetti, and Adley Rutschman singled in the fourth.

Arrighetti threw six innings and Shawn Dubin and Caleb Ferguson threw three hitless innings.

“Give Arrighetti credit, that’s a really good arm, and I thought he pitched us extremely tough,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We did nothing offensively the whole night, only hit a couple balls hard. Tough to win when you only get three hits.”

Corbin Burnes allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings in his second rough start in a row.

Mountcastle left the game in the eighth inning with a sore right wrist that he hurt sliding into second in the second inning.

Where’s the offense? The Orioles have had three hits in their last two games, and on Sunday they beat Boston, 4-2, despite getting only three hits.

Jackson Holliday is hitless in his last 16 at-bats with six strikeouts. Anthony Santander is 0-for-11 since his 37^th home run on Tuesday, and Ryan O’Hearn is hitless in 10 at-bats. The list of slumping Orioles is growing, and the power numbers are shrinking, as well.

“We just gotta play better,” O’Hearn said. “It’s as simple as that. Hard to win a game when you only get three hits. I think we hit a lot of balls hard at some guys, I can think of three or four top of my head, but just one of those nights. We’ve got to figure out a way to break through and play better as a unit. That’s really all it is.”

The Orioles have had another ugly skid. During a five-game losing streak from July 9^th-13^th, they were held to just four runs.

“When we’re at our best, it’s guys fouling off a lot of pitches, grinding out at-bats, having longer at-bats, working walks, and there’s traffic throughout the game,” O’Hearn said. “I think that’s where we’re at our best. If you’re not doing that, it puts a lot of pressure on the guy when there is somebody with runners in scoring position for the first time all night or whatever to get the job done and come through with that big hit.

“I just think the offense flows better when we’re as a unit, wearing down the pitcher, seeing a lot of pitches, like I said, grinding out, getting guys on base, and then take some of that pressure off. We’ll get there. It’s ebbs and flows, a long season.

“It’s been a tough stretch, but I have a lot of confidence in our guys and our offense. I think we’ll turn it around and start to put some things together.”

Hyde has watched the slump and just hopes it ends soon.

“We didn’t put up any runs in any part of the game tonight,” he said. “I just think we’re having a tough time offensively right now. We’ve got some guys having some pretty good years and we’re confident they’re gonna come out of it and be the offensive team we were in the first half.”

What’s wrong with Burnes? In his last two starts, Burnes has allowed 14 runs, 13 earned, on 18 hits in 9 2/3 innings.

Houston’s eight hits were all singles and they were concentrated in two innings — three in the fourth and five in the sixth. The unearned run came on a throwing error by Burnes.

“Five-and-a-third, really good,” Burnes said. “Yeah, we just got to the point where we, early on in the game, we were getting ahead of hitters and keeping the ball down and getting the contact we wanted, and for five and really two thirds there it was really good.”

Burnes pointed to an at-bat against Ben Gamel in the fifth.

“Made some mistakes. Didn’t put him away with two strikes and really it was one pitch away from being a good start,” he said.  “So, frustrating that inning extends there and then just making mistakes up in the zone and they didn’t miss.”

It’s unusual for a pitcher to give up eight hits, all of them singles.

“I mean, all those pitches they hit were just bad pitches, just up in the zone mistakes,” Burnes said. “Falling behind and then leaving cutters up in the zone for the most part. But, yeah, really that Gamel AB is what changed that inning. Having him 1-2 there and not being able to get the out or finish the strikeout there led to a big inning.”

Hyde is being patient with his No. 1 starter.

“I thought his stuff was there,” Hyde said. “Just that sixth inning, led off with a bloop single. They didn’t hit that many balls hard against him on the night. Just some ground balls that got through, some ground balls that were just out of reach for double-play balls to get him out of the inning. Stuff was good. Just didn’t work out his way.”

The Orioles haven’t played well for nearly two months. On June 20^th, there were 49-25; they’re 25-30 since then.

“I think the way we started off the year is how we think we can play baseball and we know we can play baseball that way,” Burnes said. “Starts with us on the mound and starts with me. I haven’t done my job last two starts. So, it’s going to take me to turn things around and making that one pitch to get out of it that we need. But, yeah, we’ve been in a tough stretch, but we’ve still got a lot of baseball left.”

Who is Matt Bowman? The Orioles purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Matt Bowman from Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday. Bowman signed a minor league contract with the Orioles on August 15^th. The 33-year-old had played six seasons with St. Lois, Cincinnati, the New York Yankees, Minnesota, Arizona and Seattle.

He relieved Burnes in the sixth inning and retired all four batters he faced.

Bowman is from Chevy Chase, and is the first Oriole to have attended Princeton, where he majored in economics.

“I’d be lying if I said I grew up an Orioles fan. I was proximate enough to pay attention,” he said. “Eventually a Nationals fan, but I’m certainly an Orioles fan right now.”

His area friends were excited. “They hit me up for tickets immediately,” he said. “A bit of a trek from D.C., but family is very happy. At this point, it’s the fourth big league team I’ve been on [in 2024], so they’re like, ‘cool.’ Sounds cool. How many blankets and hats can we buy?”

Bowman said his economics education doesn’t necessarily help him keep up with the business of baseball.

“It’s interesting, but that was a lifetime ago. I’m sneaky old,” he joked. “I’ve lost a step in that department.”

What’s the word? “Generally as a reliever, especially when you first come up, you do whatever they ask you. You take the ball when they ask and then you stop pitching when they take it from you.”-Bowman on life as a relief pitcher.

What does it mean? Among the Orioles’ transactions on Thursday was designating Bruce Zimmermann for assignment. Zimmermann, who is from Ellicott City, was obtained in the trade that sent Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day to Atlanta in July 2018. Zimmermann pitched parts of four seasons with the Orioles and pitched the home opener in 2022. If he moves on to another organization, it would be sad to see a good guy and local product leave.

What’s the stat of the day? 56. Bowman was the 56^th player used by the Orioles this season, six short of the record 62 used in 2021.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Vance Honeycutt, the Orioles’ first-round draft choice, made his pro debut for Single-A Delmarva going 1-for-3 in the Shorebirds’ 3-1 win over Down East. Braxton Bragg struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits.

Centerfielder Jud Fabian hit his first home run for Triple-A Norfolk in the Tides’ 5-3 loss to Worcester.

Shortstop Frederick Bencosme had two hits, including his seventh home run, in Double-A Bowie’s 5-3 win over Erie.

Third baseman Jalen Vasquez had two RBIs as High-A Aberdeen beat Winston-Salem, 9-4.

Right-handers Levi Stoudt and Carlos Tavera were transferred from Bowie to Norfolk. Infielder Noelberth Romero was moved from Aberdeen to Bowie. Catcher Cole Urman moved from Delmarva to Aberdeen.

Nick Vespi’s brother, Ben, who’s also a left-handed pitcher, signed with the Orioles as an undrafted free agent last month, and is training in Sarasota.

“He’s extremely excited, and it’s definitely been a goal and dream of his to play professional baseball, and the Orioles gave him an opportunity, and he’s extremely excited and ready to take it on,” Vespi said.

What’s next? Cade Povich (1-6, 5.77) will face Hunter Brown (11-7, 3.82) at 7:05 p.m. on Friday.

Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com