Orioles commit 4 errors as winning streak ends with ugly 6-5 loss to Red Sox

BOSTON–What happened? The Orioles’ longest winning streak in nearly three years came to an end in an ugly way on Monday night.

After seven straight wins, the Orioles committed a season-high four errors, which sent them on their way to a 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox before 37,659 at Fenway Park.

Caleb Durbin’s homer run against Tyler Wells (2-2) in the eighth inning broke a 5-5 tie.

It was the 14^th straight win by the Red Sox (51-48), who now lead the Orioles (49-52) by three games in the race for the American League’s final wild-card spot.

“It’s a packed house every night at Fenway,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “And, plus, the way that team is playing, the fans show out. It felt great. The boys were energized. A great back-and-forth game, and, yeah, it stinks we didn’t come out on the right side, but it was a great atmosphere.”

The Orioles have made eight errors in the last three games. When asked if that bothered Albernaz, he quickly answered: “No.”

The worst inning was the Boston third when the Orioles committed two errors and two runs scored.

Ceddanne Rafaela reached on a throwing error by second baseman Jeremiah Jackson. Wilyer Abreu, who was named the American League Player of the Week, drove Rafaela in with a double and took third on shortstop Gunnar Henderson’s throwing error.

Abreu scored when Contreras’ liner bounced off Henderson’s glove for a single.

“I think the one that hurt the most was the J.J. one, because it kept the inning going,” Albernaz said. “They scored a run off that.”

Jackson thought he could have done a better job.

“I knew the batter. I knew he could run well. Honestly, I probably should have backhanded that one and set my feet and made a good strong throw,” he said. “I don’t think the throw was the problem. I think it was the footwork, and the way I caught it early on and wasn’t able to make a good strong throw there.”

In the first, Henderson doubled with two outs against Boston starter Payton Tolle and scored on Tyler O’Neill’s ground-rule double that bounced into the short right-field stands just past the Pesky Pole.

Willson Contreras and Masataka Yoshida singled to start the second off Oriole starter Shane Baz. Contreras scored on Jarren Duran’s sacrifice fly to left.

Boston took a 3-1 lead in that sloppy third inning.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand homered to start the fifth. In the sixth, the Orioles took a 4-3 lead on four singles. Jackson and Encarnacion-Strand drove in O’Neill and Leody Taveras.

Contreras’ double scored Abreu in the sixth to tie it, 4-4. Baz fielded Abreu’s soft single and his errant throw was the Orioles’ third error.

“Shane thought he was 12 years old again, back to his shortstop days throwing sidearm,” Albernaz said. “Those are the things we’ve been doing a great job of but the J.J. one really hurt because they scored a run.”

The Orioles took a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh against Tyron Guerrero. Taylor Ward doubled. Pete Alonso singled. Ward scored on O’Neill’s infield out.

Baz allowed four runs, two unearned, on seven hits in six innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.

Rafaela’s single to left scored Tsung-Che Cheng off Yennier Cano in the seventh to it, 5-5. The Orioles’ fourth error came when Ward threw home wildly, allowing Rafaela to take second, even though he had no chance to throw out the runner at home. It was both a physical and a mental error by a team that continues to struggle with fundamentals.

Garrett Whitlock (5-1) retired all three batters in the eighth.

Aroldis Chapman earned his 22^nd save, but it wasn’t easy. Colton Cowser drew a leadoff walk, and after Ward and Alonso struck out, Henderson doubled to left, sending Cowser to third. O’Neill lined to Cheng, who made a nice play to end the winning streak.

“It was one of those games where whoever was left upright, standing, was going to win,” Albernaz said. “I’m proud of our guys, the way they fought. Even the ninth, against Chapman, Cowser going up there and working a great at-bat. Gunnar with a great swing. T.O. put a great swing on his, just wasn’t high enough. But really proud of our guys.”

How did Baz pitch? Because of the two unearned runs, Baz was credited with a quality start. It was his eighth, and he’s won only two of those.

He tried to not dwell on the unearned run.

“Just kind of acting like it didn’t happen and just kind of starting from scratch right there,” he said. “Just assessing kind of the situation that I’m in and where the runner’s on, who’s on base, how many outs, who’s up to bat, what I’m trying to make him do or how I’m trying to attack him. Really just not thinking about external stuff.

“I made a real bad play on that little swinging bunt, got stuck in my glove a little bit. But we made some great plays, too. But, yeah, just flushing it and kind of start from scratch every hitter that comes up.”

Baz has generally pitched well against the Red Sox.

“I mean, they’re solid,” he said. “I think they were pretty good top to bottom. I feel like I did well, kept them off-balance. They weren’t really driving the ball, maybe a couple times. I felt like I kept them off-balance well, and yeah, I was able to just kind of play my game and make them work.

Play of the week: Orioles starter Brandon Young’s hackey-sack play on Sunday against Houston’s Jose Altuve was named MLB’s Play of the Week.

In the first, Altuve hit a ball back up the middle as Young deflected the ball with his foot and barehanded it before throwing to first. Young made the play on the day of the World Cup final.

What does it mean? The Orioles can’t commit multiple errors and expect to beat good teams.

What’s the stat of the day? 4. The last time the Orioles made four errors was July 18^th, 2023.

What’s the word? “I feel like I can get out of any situation or pitch around hits, walks, errors, whatever. I feel like I did a decent job today. But no, I don’t really look at it like bad luck.”-Baz on if he’s had more hard luck than other starters.

What’s next? Kyle Bradish (6-9, 3.61) will start against Ranger Suárez (4-3, 3.15) at 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday.

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