Baz struggles again and Orioles lack any kind of punch while losing 8th game in last 10, 6-2 to A’s

BALTIMORE–What happened? The Orioles limped to the quarter point of the season with another lackluster performance and their eighth loss in 10 games.

Starting pitcher Shane Baz lasted only 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on five hits in the Orioles’ 6-2 loss to the Athletics before 30,707 at Camden Yards on Saturday.

Many of those on hand bought tickets to see Nelly’s postgame concert. They also saw the Orioles end the first quarter of the season with a 17-23 record. It’s the first time this season they’ve been six games under .500.

Baz (1-4) gave up a run in the first when Nick Kurtz led off with a double and scored on Shea Langeliers’ single. In the third, Kurtz walked and Langeliers singled. After a 14-pitch at-bat, Tyler Soderstrom popped to third. Brent Rooker followed that marathon at-bat with a three-run home run to give the Athletics (21-18) a 4-0 lead.

“Command wasn’t there,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “A lot of three-ball counts, falling behind guys. Just wasn’t as crisp and sharp as he has been. It was just tough to pitch from behind, and you have to get back in the zone and some loud contact.”

Kurtz doubled again to start the fifth, easily stole third and scored on Langeliers’ sacrifice fly. Kurtz and Langeliers scored four of the Athletics’ six runs.

“Kurtz is seeing the ball well. Big guy,” Baz said. “You feel like you have room everywhere. But he covers a lot. He’s a good player. Langeliers is a good player. I made a couple mistakes and they didn’t miss them.”

The Orioles had runners on in each of Aaron Civale’s five innings. They left eight, but the worst was the fifth when they were in position to get back in the game. Instead, it symbolized their struggles through the first quarter of the season.

Jeremiah Jackson led off with a bloop single. With two strikes, Gunnar Henderson lined a curveball into right field for a double. Taylor Ward walked to load the bases with none out.

Adley Rutschman battled back from an 0-2 count to 3-and-2 but struck out on a high cutter. Pete Alonso popped to short left, leaving any opportunity to score up to Samuel Basallo, who had singled twice. But Basallo swung at two pitches out of the zone, pulling one foul down the first base line and popping up the second to short left.

“Adley had a great at-bat, just a punchout,” Albernaz said. “Pete looked like he got a good swing off and hit it straight up, and same thing with Sammy. Sammy’s pitch was probably a little above the zone.

“But Civale did a great job. That cutter, especially to lefties back door, he was getting up and in to the lefties, mixing in the curveball. He had the guys off-balance. I mean, we had 11 punchouts, and it feels like almost all of them were looking. His command was really sharp tonight.”

Civale (4-1) allowed six hits and three walks in five scoreless innings, striking out six.

Hogan Harris, who saved Friday night’s game, retired the Orioles in order in the sixth, with third baseman Coby Mayo striking out to end the inning. Mayo struck out three times.

Scott Barlow allowed a single in a scoreless seventh.

The Orioles scored two runs with two outs in the eighth against Mark Leiter Jr. Leody Taveras singled. Dylan Beavers doubled, and both scored on Colton Cowser’s two-run single.

Colby Thomas’ RBI single against Andrew Kittredge in the ninth made it 6-2.

Joel Kuhnel pitched a scoreless ninth.

Holliday at third: Albernaz said the Orioles would play Jackson Holliday at third base in his latest rehab assignment at Double-A Chesapeake. He’ll continue to play second base as well, but with Jordan Westburg out for an indefinite amount of time and Mayo struggling, Holliday will give the Orioles another option.

“He’s mixing in at third,” Albernaz said. “We talked to him, see where his head was at, and he was for it. I think if you look at our roster, versatility is something that we need. We have Blaze [Alexander] that can play everywhere in the infield and go out in the outfield. With a lefty bat and with Jackson’s background, his athleticism, just thinking through to see what it looks like and see how he feels about it. He has the ability to play second, short and third, so we’ll see what it looks like when he gets down there.”

What’s wrong with the offense? Ward walked three times and grounded to second twice. He’s hitless in 12 at-bats against Civale.

“He just mixes and matches,” he said. “So many different pitches. It’s even tougher sometimes when guys are on, just with how quick he is to the plate, but that situation, is just, it’s tough. Honestly surprising, but it’s just baseball, too. So you’ve just gotta evaluate, re-evaluate and get on it  tomorrow.”

Ward thinks the Orioles, who haven’t scored more than four runs in any of their eight losses in 10 games, are pressing.

“For me personally, yeah, I want to do more,” Ward said. “I think we all want to do more. It’s just baseball. Maybe we all just need to take a breather, but just gotta be better for sure.”

The Orioles need to improve quickly to make sure the final 122 games are meaningful.

“I think all around, hitting, pitching, defense. I just think everything needs to be better,” Ward said.

What’s wrong with Baz? Baz, who signed a five-year, $65 million extension on March 27^th, has a 5.48 RA. He struck out five and walked three on Saturday.

“I think I’m just looking forward,” Baz said. “I don’t really like to dwell on stuff. You know, it’s just embarrassing. You want to play better. And I think we’re doing the right stuff in between starts, just game planning-wise, to have more success. You know, I’m just kind of turning the page here and looking forward to the next one.”

Baz is confident he’s going to improve.

“I feel like I’m close to at least being really, really quality,” he said. “You know, it was kind of just that one swing that really hurt today [Rooker’s three-run homer]. Other than that, I feel like I battled really well and kind of stayed in the zone well, so it’s just, there’s always something you can improve on, and there’s definitely a couple things today that could be better.”

What does it mean? The Orioles have one game remaining against a vastly improved Athletics team and have three more against the Yankees beginning Monday. They must win some of those games to prevent falling hopelessly behind.

What’s the word? “This is more just kind of versatility, see what it looks like. He’s played the left side of the diamond his whole life. He was out there today, took some ground balls, it looks really good.”-Albernaz on Holliday playing second.

What’s the stat of the day? 25. The Orioles have allowed three runs in 25 straight games for the first time since July 24^th-August 19^th, 2019. The only stretch longer is a 32-game streak from June 11^th-July 18^th, 2011.

What’s next? Chris Bassitt (2-2, 5.91) will start against Luis Severino (2-3, 4.15) on Sunday at 1:35 p.m.

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