Orioles get just 3 hits, waste Baz’s strong start in 5-0 loss to Phillies

BALTIMORE—After a thrilling win on Friday night moved the Orioles to within two games of .500, they received an excellent performance from Shane Baz and absolutely no offense.

Baz continued to get no run support as the Orioles suffered their third shutout and second in four games, striking out 14 times in a 5-0 loss to the Philadelphia Philles before 37,751 at Camden Yards on Saturday night.

Despite the loss, the Orioles remain 1 ½ games behind in the wild-card race.

Before the game, slugger Chris Davis, pitcher Storm Davis and former scout and executive Jim Russo were inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.

With the crowd full of Phillies fans, at times it felt as if the Orioles weren’t the home team.

After Friday night’s trade of starting pitcher Dean Kremer, there was no further action ahead of Monday night’s 6 p.m. deadline, and the lack of offense pointed to a sense of urgency.

The Orioles (54-57) had just two hits against Cristopher Sánchez (14-4) in six innings. Thanks to Sánchez’s five walks, which tied a career high, they loaded the bases twice.

After Sánchez walked Gunnar Henderson, Tyler O’Neill and Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the fourth, Leody Taveras was called out looking.

Taveras came up again in the sixth with two outs after Taylor Ward walked, O’Neill singled and Encarnacion-Strand walked. This time, Taveras grounded to short.

Manager Craig Albernaz had the right-handed hitting Jeremiah Jackson on the bench but stuck with Taveras.

“Leody’s faced him a couple times, so we trust the familiarity there,” he said. “And, you know, it was a great at-bat. Moved the ball forward. But all our chances were with two outs, which is tough. Our guys did a great job.

“I think we worked five walks off him. To do that was impressive in itself. I think anybody would’ve loved to see Leody come through right there, but it was a great at-bat, moved the ball forward, it was just, no result.”

After Taveras, Sánchez’s last batter, he screamed at the Orioles’ bench.

“They were yelling some things, but what they don’t know is those type of things, that motivates me,” Sánchez said through a translator. “I saw one of their coaches talking a little, but again, I take that as fuel.”

Henderson had the other hit, a two-out single in the first.

Baz pitched an excellent game, giving up a run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one.

The Phillies’ only run came when Bryson Stott walked with one out in the fifth, moved to second on an infield out by Justin Crawford and scored on Bryan De La Cruz’s single.

“The walk, I feel like it always bites you in the end,” Baz said. “He just put up a good at-bat, took a couple of really good pitches. Other than that, I felt like I mixed well, I located pretty well. I was able to get a lot of ground balls and fly balls and stuff. But, yeah, I can’t be too upset with it. Could have been a little more efficient maybe. But, yeah, not too upset with it.”

Baz and Stott battled through a 15-pitch at-bat with one out in the seventh, and Stott finally smashed a ball that Henderson couldn’t handle, and Stott was on with a single. After Rico Garcia replaced Baz, Stott stole second and moved to third on Crawford’s grounder back to Garcia. De La Cruz ended the inning when he lined out to Henderson.

Besides equaling his career high with five walks, Sánchez struck out 11.

Jonathan Bowlan struck out Jackson Holliday and Jake Rogers to start the seventh before Dylan Beavers singled and Ward struck out looking.

José Alvarado and Jhoan Duran pitched didn’t allow a runner in the eighth and ninth.

Philadelphia (58-53) scored four runs in the eighth. Grant Wolfram walked Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper with one out. Both runners moved up on Andrew Kittredge’s wild pitch. Alec Bohm’s single through a drawn-in infield scored Schwarber. Brandon Marsh’s single scored Harper.

Crawford’s two-run single gave the Phillies a 5-0 lead.

Catcher Sam Huff cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.

How well did Baz pitch? The Orioles are 6-16 in games Baz starts.

“I mean, to navigate that lineup and allow one run over 6 1/3, the only reason why we took him out is because the pitch count was up against it, especially after that, feels like a 15 pitch at-bat to Stott,” Albernaz said.

“He threw outstanding. He gave us a chance. And he had to go pitch-for-pitch with Cristopher Sánchez, who’s in the NL Cy Young conversation, so he had to step up and he did. Shane was outstanding.”

Baz doesn’t complain about the Orioles not scoring many runs when he starts.

“I feel like I can go toe to toe with anybody so, just trying to outlast and win,” he said. “It’s been tough, just not coming away with W’s. But it’s nothing that I can do about it. It’s a team game, and I have a lot of faith in our team and our lineup and our defense and everything. So, just kind of putting all that aside and just going out and competing and kind of taking it one pitch, one at-bat at a time, stuff like that.”

What about trade talk? Baz wasn’t in the clubhouse when Kremer found out about his trade to Minnesota on Friday night.

“I wasn’t here. I had already made it home, but Dean is a great guy and he had a lot of a lot of roots here, was here for a while,” Baz said. “So, no, I’m probably going to shoot him a text tonight and just say it was a pleasure playing with him. But, yeah, it’s a business.”

Ward, who’s a free agent after the season, has heard the talk, too. He was dealt to the Orioles last November from the Los Angeles Angels for starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez.

“I had a pretty good run at this in Anaheim for about three years in a row, so at this point, it is what it is,” Ward said. “I’d love to stay here. I love the guys and the coaching staff, and I like where this organization is heading. I’d love to stay, but I understand that, at the end of the day, it’s a business and they have to do what’s best for the team.”

What does it mean? The Orioles need to win on Sunday to ensure they’ll go into the trade deadline just two games under .500.

What’s the stat of the day? 3. The Orioles were held to three hits for the ninth time this season.

What’s the word? “All of our starters are trying to get the out at hand and working one pitch at a time. You can’t worry about everything else. That’s when stuff spirals.”-Albernaz on Baz

What’s going on in the minor leagues? In his Triple-A debut, Luis De León allowed two runs, one unearned, on six hits in 5 1/3 innings as Norfolk lost to Worcester, 4-3, in 11 innings.

Jose Barrero hit his 19^th home run.

Patrick Reilly gave up six runs on eight hits in four innings as Double-A Chesapeake beat Altoona, 9-8.

Victor Figueroa homered and drove in five runs. Wehiwa Aloy had four hits.

JT Quinn pitched 5 2/3 solid innings, giving up two runs, one unearned, on two hits, striking out six as High-A Frederick lost to Wilmington, 4-3, in 11 innings.

Luis Vázquez had three hits and drove in two runs.

Single-A Delmarva was held to two hits in a 7-0 loss to Hickory.

What’s next? Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.74) will start against Zack Wheeler (10-3, 2.53) 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