KANSAS CITY, Mo.—After the Orioles traded Zach Britton and Brad Brach, it was assumed that Mychal Givens would become the team’s closer. However, in just over a month, there haven’t been many games to close.
On Saturday, Givens entered the ninth with a 4-3 lead. After walking leadoff hitter Brett Phillips, he gave up a one-out home run to Whit Merrifield as the Orioles lost their second straight to the Kansas City Royals, 5-4.
Givens has had just six save opportunities, and he couldn’t convert for the second time.
What made it more painful was that the Orioles looked as though they would engineer a rare comeback win. They were 0-82 when trailing after seven innings. After scoring twice in the eighth on Trey Mancini’s team-leading 21st home run and an RBI double by Tim Beckham, they had a 4-3 lead.
“This is a tough year for us, but it doesn’t matter,” Givens said of his irregular save opportunities.
“In that situation, the job should be done, and I should have closed out the game. I failed the team as far as not being able to do my job today.”
Givens’ save chance was just his third since Aug. 14.
For a brief time, it looked as if the Orioles would have their fourth win in five games instead of losing their second straight to the Royals. Their record is now 40-96.
“We’ve been playing really good, battling circumstances with what’s been going on this year,” Givens said. “They worked their butts off getting back in the game. Just have to do a better job.”
Manager Buck Showalter doesn’t have many options in the bullpen. With Brach, Britton and the injured Darren O’Day traded and Richard Bleier sidelined since June, Givens is the most experienced hand in the bullpen.
“Mike’s biggest issue is his command,” Showalter said. “It’s not just closing, there’s pressure in different situations. There’s a certain finality to that inning. It’s a great job if you’re good at it. We’re going to continue to look for potential people down the road, and Mike’s one of them.”
In his first three seasons, Givens was 18-2. This year, he’s 0-7.
Beckham hot
Beckham had his best offensive game of the season, going 4-for-4, including his 10th home run, but he couldn’t celebrate.
“That was a tough one,” Beckham said. “You know we want to win the game every night. I mean we laid it all on the line. It’s just a tough pill to swallow tonight.”
Besides the home run, Beckham had a double and two singles.
“You know I’m an aggressive hitter, and I wanted to stay aggressive,” Beckham said. “Felt like I took a couple of pitches I could hit the night before, and I just wanted to go out there and stay aggressive and see a pitch I could handle.”
Bundy gives up long ball
For five straight starts, Dylan Bundy has found it impossible to complete six innings. Bundy had made it through five with a 2-1 lead.
In the first four innings, Bundy had allowed a run on six hits. In the fifth, he was dealing, retiring Kansas City in order.
His sixth inning was his end. After two had scored, he booted Brett Phillips grounder for an error, and was out of the game.
Bundy equaled an Orioles record by surrendering his 35th home run of the season, to Phillips in the fourth.
He’s tied with Robin Roberts (1963), Scott McGregor (1986), Sidney Ponson (1999) and Jeremy Guthrie (2009) for most in team history.
Bundy allowed just one home run in his first five starts, but in his last 10 has given up at least one. In those 10 starts, Bundy has an 8.46 ERA.
“Dylan pitched better than he did last time, pitched better than the time before,” Showalter said. “I thought he had command of his secondary pitch, on a sticky night. He held runners really well, something that kept the game intact. Just that one inning got away from him, third time around the order where that third pitches into play.”
Limited additions for now
Breyvic Valera, an infielder obtained from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Manny Machado trade, was the only player added to the Orioles’ roster Saturday.
Showalter said that Valera might play Sunday.
Additional reinforcements are expected after Norfolk and Bowie conclude their seasons on Monday.
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Same ole, same ole... Bundy gives up a home run (everybody cheer! It was only one.), Givens can’t find the plate and when he does it’s right down the middle. It’s to the point that it’s a joke... and a bad one at that... that the O’s can find almost more ways to lose than there are games to play. They shoot horses, don’t they? Just sayin...
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Ekim, a month from now i bet you'll be counting down the number of days until pitchers and catchers report.
Buck's post game comments on Bundy beginning to sound like what we heard after just about every Tillman start - "pitched better than he did last time", "just one inning that got away from him", etc.. etc., etc.
When you look at Bundy's decline, and Gausman's radical transformation since being traded (O.76 WHIP in his last 5 starts for Atlanta), it appears there is something fundamentally wrong with how this organization handles its pitchers.
Birdman... I’ve been screaming for McDowell’s head since last Fall! Just because he was once a good pitcher doesn’t make him a coach. Just go back to his last two years in Atlanta if you want further proof of his ineptness.
Birdman, there are a lot of fans who agree with you.
Bundy wasn't bad. Kauffman Stadium dimensions must have been comforting for him. He Just throws so many damn pitches. He gets fouled off a lot. Givens,Castro seem a clone of themselves--they rear back fire,lose command,and start throwing fastballs down the middle. That HAS to be addressed. In addition to Beckham's fine offensive game his play at SS seems to be improving. Nunez is still awkward at 3rd(doesn't seem to know what to do with his feet)
Lots of interesting points, Orial.
It’s the end of the 3rd inning on Sunday and I just watched the O’s play Little League quality baseball. It’s hard to believe management can look themselves in the mirror after putting this joke of a team on the field. I keep listening to the announcers force feed us the same tripe about giving some guys a look. What’s to look at when three of them are other teams rejects, some multiple times. Douchette keeps looking to find diamonds in the trash and it isn’t working. I attended a brunch this morning and there was a guy there trying to give his tickets to the Oakland series away... with NO takers, me included. Please tell me it’s all just a dream (nightmare!). BTW: the ‘beat goes on’ as I just saw the plate umpire kick a wild pitch away on Joseph. It just gets ‘worser and worser’.
Ekim, it's always great to hear your optimistic voice.
Rich... Glad to be of service! The truth hurts...
I was really hoping Givens was coming around. But a four-pitch leadoff walk after the team took the lead and then a meatball on an 0-2 count! Should never happen.