BALTIMORE—Manager Brandon Hyde was frustrated and candid after a second straight night of watching the New York Yankees hit multiple home run against his Oriole pitchers.
After surrendering five home runs to the Yankees on Monday night, the Orioles gave up six more in their 9-4 loss on Tuesday.
“It sucks. It’s not even the big boys, either, which is pretty scary,” Hyde said. “They have a ton of power that’s not even in their lineup and they’ve hit 11 homers in two nights.”
The Yankees are playing without Edwin Encarnacion, Gary Sanchez and Giancarlo Stanton, home run hitters all. Gleyber Torres, who has 10 homers against the Orioles, left the game with a core injury.
“So, the other guys are hitting homers off our pitchers. It just shows you how long we have to go to be a competitive team in the American League East, to have the pitching to be able to compete. Their guys are just way better than our guys.”
It was the 11th consecutive game they’ve allowed multiple home runs in a game, extending their major league record. It was also the Orioles’ 11th consecutive loss to the Yankees this season, and their 14th straight at Oriole Park.
“This is a results business,” Hyde said “If you’re going to pitch here, you’ve got to be able to keep the ball in the ballpark. Our numbers don’t lie, what we have. They’re setting all kinds of home runs given up records. ERAs are unbelievably inflated. We just have a long way to go.
“I don’t know what else to say. It’s hard to watch. It’s tough, but you do the best you can and try to get guys better, but we’re not close.”
Asher Wojciechowski, who hadn’t allowed more than four runs or two homers in his previous six starts with the Orioles, allowed five runs and three home runs—all in the third inning.
Wojciechowski allowed back-to-back home runs by Mike Tauchman and DJ LeMahieu in the third. It was Tauchman’s third blast in his last three at-bats. He homered in his final two plate appearances in Monday’s 9-6 New York win.
“I mean, it’s a really good lineup, but it’s just like any big league lineup,” Wojciechowski said. “You’ve just got to execute pitches. I hung a few sliders, kept a couple fastballs in the heart of the plate. So, I’ve just got to do a better job executing those pitches. That’s why I got hurt.”
Tauchman prevented a Pedro Severino home run when he made a running, leaping catch in front of the left field wall, appearing to touch his glove against the hands of a fan wearing a Yankees jersey who thought he might get a souvenir.
“He made a great play,” Severino said. “I just tried to put the barrel on the ball and see what happened. He jumped like Michael Jordan right there. I don’t see anybody jump that high, especially with the wall right there.”
Two batters after LeMahieu’s home run, Didi Gregorius hit a home run down the right-field line that landed on Eutaw Street in right, giving the Yankees a 3-0 lead. The ball took one bounce before hitting an awning on the warehouse.
Jonathan Villar, who became the fifth Oriole to hit for the cycle and the first in nearly 10 years on Monday, tripled in the third to score Richie Martin. Villar scored on Trey Mancini’s grounder.
Wojciechowski gave up a two-run double to catcher Austin Romine, another Yankee who’s hammered the Orioles, in the fourth, his final inning.
The Yankees started Jonathan Holder as an opener. He worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs. Stephen Tarpley, a one-time Orioles farmhand, gave up a two-run home run to Anthony Santander in the fifth, and the Orioles were within 5-4. He also was the benefactor of Tauchman’s exceptional play.
Romine homered against reliever Tayler Scott in the sixth to pad the Yankees’ lead to 6-4.
Nestor Cortes, a Rule 5 draft pick by the Orioles in December 2017, who pitched briefly for the team last season, threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit for his fifth win without a loss.
Tauchman added an RBI double in the eighth, and Davis Hess allowed consecutive home runs to Brett Gardner and Cameron Maybin in the ninth inning.
The Orioles are on their way to setting a major league record for most home runs allowed in a season. They’ve given up 229. In 2016, the Cincinnati Reds allowed 258.
The last time the Orioles didn’t allow at least two home runs in a game was on July 25 when they won a 16-inning game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Stewart’s concussion: DJ Stewart’s return to the major leagues didn’t even last four innings. Just over two months after he suffered a sprained right ankle on June 4 after a collision with teammate Hanser Alberto, Mike Ford hit a shallow fly ball to left that hit Stewart on the head in the top of the fourth inning. Stewart appeared to slip on the wet grass as he came in on the ball and lost sight of it after he went down.
Stewart remained in the game on defense, but appeared to be in pain. Jace Peterson pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the fourth.
“He had a big welt on the side of his face,” Hyde said.
Hyde said that he suffered a concussion and is headed for the seven-day concussion injury list.
Another rain delay: As the Yankees were preparing to take batting practice, an unexpected storm hit downtown Baltimore, causing flooding. The rain also flooded the warning track, and the game’s start was delayed for 1 hour, 12 minutes. Orioles games have been delayed by 12 hours, 21 minutes this season.
Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit…
BALTIMORE—What happened? Grayson Rodriguez pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and got a big…
BALTIMORE—The first Orioles game against the New York Yankees each season always brings a sense…
One of the most underrated Orioles of recent times, Hoiles caught 10 seasons for the…
BALTIMORE—The Orioles activated left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez from the 15-day disabled list on Monday and…
BALTIMORE—For now, closer Craig Kimbrel has avoided the injured list. Kimbrel left Sunday’s game with…
View Comments
I love Hyde’s honesty. I hope he gets to stay around as the team gradually gets better over the next several years. And I hope Elias continues to practice a patient approach to the player development process, so prospects like Keegan Akin — who prior to this season apparently got by almost entirely on his fastball — can develop the skills to compete successfully on the major league level.
I like that he is sugarcoating way less than earlier in the season.
Baseball is my favorite spot and the Orioles are my team. I don’t know who changed the baseball but they have ruined the game. I guess someone must be seriously hurt before they put it back the way it should be played
You can't just leave it at that, tell us more!
And to think I was elated at Stewart's return. I didn't know he was gonna be what's been wrong with every O's OFer rolled into one. My God. This may be Means' most important start of the season tonight. If he's the real deal he should be able to calm down the Tauchman,Maybin,Valera,Ford powerhouse that these Yankees are. If he's not(the real deal) 5 innings then the frightful bullpen.
That’s all the O’s have... bullpen pitchers... and not ones most teams would want. Just saying...
Bring up Mason Williams, WTH, give him a chance...go O’s...
I agree with those who like Hyde's candor. But I'm not so depressed by the Yankees' pounding us, as much as I hate it. They're pounding everybody and just having one of those years. What I find interesting is that they, like the Orioles, are auditioning lots of young guys eager to take advantage of an ML opportunity. In their case, it's the result of injuries rather than a dearth of talent. But it explains their motivation to pile it on when they get a chance. Veterans might be tempted to go on cruise control. The talent gap is real, but the Birds aren't the only ones getting hammered, and even the Yankees seem to realize that this is a special year. It's a good test for the O's toughness and resilience as the season continues.
Yanks will get their comeuppance in Houston.
The Orioles only signed Nate Karns coming into the season who was eventually released. They decided to go with Cobb, Cashner, and Bundy. Filling the rest of the rotation with Hess and other low end 4A type pitchers.
They lost Cobb to early injuries. Hess and others have failed miserably. Fortunately, Means has done well who has been their most consistent pitcher. It's no surprise the overall pitching is this bad.
For all the talk and debate among fans since spring training about who should be up and who should be down - Sisco, or Stewart, or Mountcastle, etc., etc. - its obvious that its the pitching, not the position players, that are really dragging the team down ... true, the offense is below average, but it has not been terrible ... the pitching staff, however, has the worst ERA and WHIP in the AL - until the Orioles start producing quality pitchers from their minor league system, worrying about whether Sisco or Severino starts at catcher, is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic
I usually don’t try to second guess things the Orioles do, but I have to take issue with them leaving DJ Stewart in the game after his mishap. The TV cameras clearly showed a welt on his head. And the MASN coverage showed he was in obvious discomfort. It also showed Brian Ebel, the head trainer, staring out at Stewart in obvious concern. My rule of thumb is that if you think it might be a concussion, then treat it like a concussion. The NFL has had to deal with concussion issues and MLB needs to address this also. ESPN and MLB network I’m sure were able to get a good laugh out of Stewart’s folly, but concussions are not a laughing matter. Just curious of what Hyde’s explanation for keeping Stewart in the game
The Yankees are playing without Edwin Encarnacion, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Miguel Andujar, Luke Voit, Aaron Hicks and Gio Urshela, home run hitters all.
When you have NO PITCHING it's rather easy to tell how good all the other teams are compared to ours.
Maybe it’s now time to bring up Mason Williams now that DJ back on the injured list. Hays is not hitting that much and Mountcastle is learning the outfield which is a good thing so who else is there
It would help if they would balance the schedule out a little more evenly. Playing so many games against the Sox and NYY not only makes winning the division difficult, the teams in the other divisions have an advantage getting the wild card spot.
Having fewer Yankees and Red Sox home games would also depress home attendance even further, John.
Now hear this, Mr. Hyde. You knew, in fact your quoted, that the O’s are in the first year of a complete makeover. You knew that when you were chosen to lead the charge on the field. Instead of the negativity of telling the world how bad your players are, try harder at teaching. If I was sitting at Elias desk, I would have fired him after reading the above.
Wow, you would fire your manager for telling the truth? Good luck finding other guys lining up for the gig after that. He didn't put any of his own players down, merely stated what any fan can see for himself, a refreshing change from the years of Buck Talk. Try harder at teaching? You can teach all you want and a mule still won't win the Kentucky Derby.
We run out a AAA pitching rotation, what do you want him to say? Oh I’ll keep coaching these fringe major league pitchers up. It’s a talent issue and he’s right. Everyone who watches the orioles should know that. I prefer a little honesty to the blatant BS that we just need to play a little better. We all know it’s a talent issue. He can say It every once in awhile; he’s the one in the dugout dealing w it everyday.
Thank heavens PA BL is NOT sitting at Elias's desk.
Unbelievable Alberto in left and Stevie in center two infielders one hitting 225 in the outfielders Mason Williams a true outfielder hitting over 300
And hot stays in Norfolk.
Rich, you might be right, I hadn't thought about that. On the other hand, if a more balanced schedule resulted in the O's being more competitive, Oriole fans might make up at least some or even much of that.
If the team improves, it won't matter much who they play. Their struggles against the Yankees are glaring, but not isolated.