BALTIMORE—The Houston Astros are playing like they’re the best team in baseball. In the past three games, the Orioles offered no resistance.
In the three games, the Orioles were outscored, 26-3. They came close to being no-hit on Monday and were overmatched in each game.
On Wednesday night, José Urquidy limited them to just three hits in seven innings as Houston completed the three-game sweep, extending their winning streak to 10 with a 13-0 win before an announced crowd of 10,013 at Oriole Park.
The loss was the Orioles’ 13th in 14 games. As they start a 10-game road trip against Toronto, the Astros and the Los Angeles Angels, their record is 23-51.
Between now and July 23, the Orioles will play just six home games.
Since May 5th, when John Means pitched a no-hitter, they’re 8-35.
The Astros scored three runs against Thomas Eshelman (0-1) in the first with two outs.
Yuli Gurriel singled and Yordan Alvarez walked. Both scored on Carlos Correa’s double, and Correa scored on Kyle Tucker’s single.
Houston scored again in the second with two outs. José Altuve and Michael Brantley singled and scored on Gurriel’s single, and the Orioles trailed, 4-0.
Altuve’s two-run home run, his 17th, with one out in the fourth put Houston ahead 6-0.
Eshelman, who allowed one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings in his last start — a 7-1 win over Toronto on June 18th — was rocked by Houston.
“I stuck with my game plan throughout the game,” Eshelman said. “They spoiled some good pitches and put some good swings on balls that were in the zone.”
Houston had 38 hits in the three-game series.
“These guys take really good at-bats. They’re pros,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “They don’t swing at pitches out of the zone. They start rallies, and they capitalize.”
Mickey Jannis made his major league debut in the fifth, and the 33-year-old knuckleballer pitched a scoreless inning and allowed a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Brantley.
In the seventh, Jannis came apart and allowed a 448-foot homer to Alvarez, his 11th, and a three-run home run to Abraham Toro, his second.
Chas McCormick homered to start the eighth, and Toro’s RBI single made it 13-0.
“He had a good first inning, and they were all over him,” Hyde said.
In 3 1/3 innings, Jannis gave up seven runs on eight hits, walking four and striking out one.
“It wasn’t dancing as much,” catcher Austin Wynns said of Jannis’ knuckleball. “He is a professional. He’s paid his dues. He went out there and competed, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Hyde sent Jannis back out to start the eighth, even though he had allowed five runs in three innings,
“With the game out of hand, I didn’t want to use anybody else,” Hyde said. “He’s built up as a starter. By him going into that fourth inning, he actually saved me a little bit by not having to use somebody else, which affects tomorrow and the next day.
“I never like leaving somebody out there unnecessarily, but in some cases, you’ve got to think about tomorrow.”
Urquidy (6-3) allowed a leadoff double to Cedric Mullins in the first, a leadoff single to Wynns in the sixth, and a one-out single to Anthony Santander in the seventh.
He walked one and struck out six.
“They have really good arms, no doubt about it,” Hyde said. “You’ve got to have a real disciplined approach. You’ve got to be ready. We had a tough time.”
The Orioles came closest to scoring when they loaded the bases with none out in the eighth. But a strikeout by Stevie Wilkerson and a double-play grounder by Pedro Severino preserved Houston’s shutout.
Notes: The Orioles begin a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo on Thursday night. Dean Kremer (0-6, 6.20 ERA) will face Anthony Kay (0-2, 6.43). Matt Harvey (3-9, 7.80) will face Alek Manoah (1-0, 4.18) on Friday night, Keegan Akin (0-3, 6.42) will face Hyun Jin Ryu (6-4, 3.25) on Saturday, and Jorge López will face Ross Stripling (2-4, 4.33) on Sunday. Saturday’s game will begin at 3:07 p.m. … Wynns made his first major league appearance at first base in the ninth. … The Orioles were shut out for the fifth time this season and the first time since April 28th.
Minor Matters: Triple-A Norfolk swept a doubleheader from Gwinnett. The Tides scored eight runs in the first inning on the way to a 9-3 win in the first game.
Spenser Watkins (1-2) pitched six innings for the win. Centerfielder Ryan McKenna hit a two-run homer. First baseman J.C. Escarra added a solo shot, his first since joining the Tides on Tuesday.
The Tides completed the doubleheader sweep with a 5-2 win in the second game.
Third baseman Domingo Leyba hit his fifth home run, a three-run shot, since joining Norfolk on June 5th in a four-run first. First baseman Tyler Nevin followed with his ninth home run.
Cody Sedlock and Tim Naughton combined to allow eight runs to New Hampshire in the eighth inning as the Fisher Cats beat Double-A Bowie, 10-3.
Sedlock, the Orioles’ top draft choice in 2016, gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings. He’s 1-1 with a 4.45 ERA.
Designated hitter J.D. Mundy’s 11th-inning single gave High-A Aberdeen a 3-1 win over Rome.
Garrett Stallings allowed two runs on four hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Griffin McLarty allowed two unearned runs in the fourth inning as Low-A Delmarva lost to Fredericksburg, 3-2.
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Well a blowout what did you expect with Eshleman facing a team like the Astros? Are there really no better options then him and a thirty three year old knuckleballer? If we’re going to get our heads bashed in might as well do it with a young pitcher on the mound. This offense is atrocious. In my opinion it’s time to start getting rid of the non performers. Guys like Stewart have had every opportunity to show what they can do. Severino is another guy that needs to go. He doesn’t hit doesn’t catch and it’s the name of his position. Hays and Santander need to sit if they’re hurt that bad. They’re not helping the team. Send a message to these guys that even if we’re rebuilding we are not going to tolerate miscue after miscue.
Amen. I miss Cal Sr and The Oriole Way.
Ditto, no BS there...go O’s...
Soooo, we jettisoned Sisco, batting .197ish, brought up Wynns because he was a better choice, last I saw he’s batting .125, not any difference in defense, O’s kept applauding Sisco on his improvement defensively, yes I’m a Sisco fan, I would’ve rode him out this yr, then demote, release, trade, whatever, I don’t want to hear about almost 600 career at bats, he had his chance, whatever, O’s are the laughingstock of professional sports, not just MLB...always a devoted fan...go O’s...
I wasn't going to mention the awe-inspiring play of Mr. Wynns for fear of another salvo of BRR bashing. I'm losing my nerve. Watch out for incoming and thanks for taking one for the team CPs.
Worrying about Sisco vs. Wynns is like worrying about the arrangement of the deck chairs on the Titanic ... the overwhelming no. 1 problem with this team is pitching, and in particular the starting pitching ... our $9 million 14 man pitching staff is simply far below MLB caliber ... at this point (hopefully there will be some improvement), it appears that only one pitcher on the staff, Means, is capable of two good starts in a row.
When he’s healthy....go O’s...
These are the rough days for a fan of a rebuilding team.
As difficult as this is, I support this rebuild. We all have our own feelings about how the Orioles got to this place...but they will obtain some very good talent in the Amateur Draft in a couple of weeks and International Signings in January. Plus they will be picking at 1 or 2 in next June's Amateur Draft. Koby Perez is doing very good things in the Caribbean and that also will pay off...
Have faith Birdland!! ....losing hurts, but better days are coming...
In the meantime, i am grateful that we are able to watch our ML team and MILB teams play every night. Wasn't sure that would be the situation a year ago when looking ahead.
Yes, aka the “Cleveland Browns Theory.” Be the worst team in your sport for 15 consecutive years. The Law of Averages suggests that eventually you’ll get enough #1 draft picks to become a halfway decent team.
That's one way to look at it...The Browns and Orioles have several things in common; mainly horribly misguided and inconsistent Ownership groups.. Looks the the Browns might be getting better in this category, and I have to say that I'm impressed that John & Lou seem to have empowered Elias to work his plan. This can't be easy for them either.
Right, except our GM has to under slot his draft picks instead of taking the best player available at number 1. So our 15 years turns into 20 years instead. Who needs Austin Martin or the 5th best player this year when we can get the 16th best player .
Agree with you that things got better right away in CLE when they hired the new GM (a Baltimore native I believe). And for the O’s rebuild that’s more of the concern I have. Any moron can lose games and acquire number one picks. I wouldn’t even call that a strategy or a plan. You look at teams like the Padres and Rangers of the 70s. They had all kinds of high pics and they still stunk forever and ever.
One of the calling cards this new group came in on was that they were going to revolutionize our performance with analytics. They said our players didn’t have enough information to be able to compete. Well they’ve had that information for three years now and they still stink. So it appears to me that this half of the equation, the using of analytics to improve major league performance half. Isn’t what it was advertised to be. Which leaves us with the other half which is stinking require high draft picks, which again, any moron can do.
To tie this back to the Cleveland point: the prior management was a bunch of idiots who didn’t know how to put a team together. All they knew how to do is lose and get high draft picks. It didn’t work because they couldn’t improve the Oldfield performance. They didn’t have a good system for that. It wasn’t till the new GM came in that proper use was made of the collective talent.
In the Orioles case, I see where the new management has the losing part down. But I don’t see anything in what they’re doing that leads me to think that the major league performance on the field will improve. Given the lack of improvement at the major-league level after 2 1/2 years, this looks more like the 1971 San Diego padres than it does the Houston Astros just prior to their big break out a few years ago.
The longer this drags on, the more it looks like Elias just got lucky with a couple draft picks in Houston. (Bregman, Correa etc). From there the owners did the rest, paying up for Verlander, etx
True, losing hurts. Tanking is another thing. Tells me all I need to know about John and Lou.
Snickers, yes even this early in the morning...
M & M’s are better...go O’s...
This team sucks. Like Godot we are always waiting for someone to come along to rescue us but they never arrive.I have been fooled too many times by the management to believe that help is on the way. The minor league players look promising, they always do, especially the pitching, yet when they finally appear they are are just more of the same. The fans deserve better after so many years of misery but alas I don't believe better times are ahead.
Keep the faith
So who in the warehouse had the grand idea of having a "feel good moment" and bring Jannis up? Are things really that bad(don't answer that question)? Before we totally freak out on Eshelman let's look back to last Friday and his gem that lead to the only win in 14 games. What will it take for Hyde to stop playing Santander/Stewart in the same outfield? Very curious to see this All-Star break come. That HAS to be the time the slate gets cleaned up a little(roster moves). Now's the time for either/or or both of Kremer,Akin to take that "next step". Other than Mullins when is the last time somebody took that "next step"? Leyba,McKenna,Jones,Diaz get ready your time might finally be here.
won't get fooled again
keep the faith
I grew up in the Gus Triandos-era of Oriole ball players so, as a long time fan, I've weathered plenty of ups and downs. Still I have to say - this team is killing me...
If Mike Elias had wanted to put a competitive team on the field this year, he could have. He chooses not to. And no,it's not just Mike Elias, it's the ownership as well, I recognize that.
But here it is in a nutshell. You either support tanking as a means to an end, or you don't. It's really a question of scruples and ethics. This is the world we find ourselves in in 2021 I suppose.
No Coke, Pepsi
Agree with you 100%, BRR. Well said. I grew up in the era of Jerry Hoffberger and Frank Cashen. They would not recognize this Orioles franchise.
Drink kool aid
On another note: How about not sending Jannis down until he's had a few more of these nights? Just one baseball fan's opinion.
Got no problem with that. Rumor has it that there are bigger paychecks in the big leagues, so he’ll like that. Plus we aren’t competitive anyway.
I keep hearing chatter about pulling pitchers too early anyway, so let him eat innings.
Hopefully avoid a few less 440’ home runs though….
Agree entirely....go O’s...
Embarrassment on top of embarrassment. Having guys like Jannis Valdez and Eshelmann or triple A players like Wilkerson , Severino and Wynns when you have guys in the minors who are not ready because everything is always a year away in this sickening rebuild. I rather see our young guys learn up here then watch this crap that Ellis decides to play until his master plan takes effect. Nothing will ever get better unless this team gets sold to a progressive new owner. I’ve said it before we will not become the next Tampa Bay or Astros which is what Mikey fixates on.
The sooner you bring them up, the sooner they get up to speed. You only get better when you play with the older kids.
What Elias means by trying to emulate the rays and Astros is being able to have a continuous pipeline of talent so when you lose talent you can easily replace it. The only way you continue to get consistent talent is through good drafting and international signings which we hadn’t done up until Elias got here. And got to be able develop the talent you have which the rays and Astros have been able to do.
What the Sam HIll are you talking about? Yes the Rays seem to know what they're doing, but the Astros? Really?
Exactly how long have the Astros had this continuous pipeline going? They drafted well because they tanked for 3 or 4 years, and had a series of very high draft picks. The further they get away from those years, the weaker their farm system is getting. If you haven't noticed, MLB.com has the Astros farm system ranked #29. That's TWENTY NINTH out of 30 teams.
Tanking as a system is simply not sustainable. And the Rays? I don't remember them selling out their fans like the O's have theirs. I don't see where Mike Elias has tried to emulate the Rays. I do see him reverting to the Houston Blueprint.
That’s because they went all in. They have some underrated young prospects that are not yet ranked highly. They still draft good. They sign top tier international talent. They’re talent in the farm system for the Astros has been hurt by the fact they had to forfeit picks for the cheating scandal.
Maybe you're right, but we'll have to wait and see. That excuse (pick penalty) aside, 29th out of 30 isn't that awe-inspiring.
So hypothetical ... if Elias builds this team up to within striking distance of the Houston level ... do you think they'd spend the money and make the trades to get the Verlander and Greinke types to get them there? Remember . our market isn't nearly what Houston's is.
They forfeited picks one yr....go O’s...
It is past time to start FIRING people. You can't trade this bunch because they are mostly "Waiver Wire" people which means they have no trade value. Please. fire, not DFA, because we generally get therm back and sent to Norfolk and then back here 2 weeks later. I'm sure Elias knows a bum when he sees one so he should be honest and do his damn job. I'm tired of watching just 4 innings, screaming at the TV for all 4 and then changing the channel. So Elias, since you've got "the brothers" snowed (your job, for some reason, is secure) bring up the young guys. Even though the O's will lose a year it's no big deal, the good old USA will never run out of young guys. End of rant
Embarrassing to say this, but I really enjoyed watching Urquida pitch last night. Here’s a menacing looking fire plug out there mowing down batters. Precise location, good pitch selection, no emotion, quick compact delivery. He throws a pitch, gets the ball, climbs the mound and fires again.
Wow. Jealous.
Everyone looks good pitching against the O's
Keep the faith
Right, I get what you’re saying. This team with so much offensive potential.
Anyway, what I admired was Urquita’s fast work pace and demeanor. No farting around, dramatic windup, nibbling or athlete drama. Just run it up there.
We need some of that “moxy” in orange and black.
Couldn't agree more, nothing worse than the pitch count is at 30 after the 1st inning and we trail by 2 or more runs
Keep the faith
:)....go O’s...
My fan's apologies, for what they're worth, to MIckey Jannis. For the team to bring up a knuckleballer as a stunt and then hang him out to dry was simply mean. And for the manager, who turns pitchers over faster than a cook flips flapjacks, to say he was saving the other twelve arms in the bullpen for the next day's loss was totally disingenuous. Once again, Sorry, Mickey. I'm only a fan but I'm embarrassed and wish you well.
Well said Will. What a great moment to make your MLB debut at 33 years old with your family around, only to be sacrificed to the wolves. It left a bitter taste.
And I like Root Beer.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a guy like Jannis would make a good pitching coach. I’m being serious. He obviously knows enough about pitching to have lasted in professional baseball all these years. I won’t be surprised at all if that’s his next step. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I love a story like his. He may stay a bit or be sent right back down, but he made it to the show. Good for him. There are many, many others who never did.
Anyone faintly recall the discussion of Chris Holt being away and what an effect his absence could be having on our young hurlers?
My grandmother could have teed up Mickey Jannis' knuckleball last night...
Yeah? Maybe the O's could use her?
With this barrage of negativism, somebody needs to remind you whiners that Elias said that he has a plan, that it's worked before and will work again, and that we need to give him all the time he needs to implement it. That person ain't me. But I again argue that we don't know how much ownership is responsible for putting this unforgivably bad product on the field for the past two and a half years with two and one half more years still to go, and how much is due to Elias's mistakes. Maybe he has been hamstrung by orders from above. We know the goal of minimizing the player payroll has been achieved, but with the expected result. But we don't really know how blame should be apportioned between an ownership potentially hellbent on saving money and a GM potentially undermined by unjustified feelings of infallibility? Who in the executive suite has the dubious distinction of producing a classic case of being penny wise and pound foolish. (This achievement assumes two things. First, whatever money is saved by maximizing the number of players with MLB-minimum salaries is offset by the many hundreds of millions of dollars lost from falling attendance. Second, the unfolding debacle is NOT a crazy like a fox strategy to boost the selling price of the team.) Allow me to conclude by pointing to a symbol of how two teams can be moving in very opposite directions. This week saw the Rays promote Wander Franco, the consensus number one prospect in all of minor league baseball, and have him make a smashing debut. A day later, the Orioles promoted an obscure 33 year old rookie pitcher with very embarrassing results.
I think you basically answered your own question, in terms of apportioning responsibility between ownership and Elias ... as you stated "the goal of minimizing the player payroll has been achieved, but with the expected result" ... unless Elias is actually refusing to spend money that ownership has authorized him to spend, its clear where responsibility rests for the current product on the field.
Regardless ... the buck stops in the Bowie Bleachers where you can find Mike Elias perched way too often.
Thanks Rich for adding the minor league recap to the story.
Do you plan to do story on the Mlb draft?
You’re welcome. There’s a lot of interest in the minor leagues, and yes, there will be a number of stories coming along on next month’s draft.
I'm looking at the O's pregame. The sponsor is Draft kings sportsbook, a betting site. How come Pete Rose is still not reinstated. The owners are hypocrites!
Damn right!! I’ve never brought that up on this site before but have stated to friends those exact sentiments.
Totally agree, but they have a plan as well...go O’s...
The O's.....looking AA in a AAA stadium !
Now that's funny!