BALTIMORE—Oriole starter Keegan Akin had pitched six hitless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. There were no hard-hit balls, no great plays, and because the game was scheduled for seven innings, it wouldn’t have qualified as a no-hitter.
Akin’s performance for the first six innings against the hard-hitting Blue Jays had been impressive, but in the seventh inning, Toronto came alive with an 11-run inning and completed a sweep of its doubleheader against the Orioles with an 11-2 win before an announced crowd of 10,219 at Camden Yards on Saturday night.
A four-run rally capped by George Springer’s two-run home run in the seventh inning in the first game enabled the Blue Jays to beat the Orioles, 11-10. They are the first team in Major League Baseball history to hit a go-ahead home run while trailing in the final scheduled inning of both games of a doubleheader, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
In the nightcap, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. began the seventh with a line-drive single to right. Before the inning would end, the Blue Jays would add 10 more hits, four of them home runs.
After Guerrero’s hit, Bo Bichette hammered a changeup by Akin for his 23rd home run to left, and suddenly the Orioles were trailing, 2-1. Teoscar Hernández singled against Akin (2-9), and Tanner Scott replaced him.
Alejandro Kirk smashed his eighth home run, and it was 4-1.
Lourdes Gurriel and Randal Grichuk singled, and Gurriel scored on a sacrifice fly by Breyvic Valera.
George Springer singled, and Marcus Semien hit a three-run home run, his 39th, for an 8-1 lead.
Scott was charged with six runs in 1/3rd of an inning, and every ball was hit hard.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde brought in Manny Barreda, who allowed a three-run home run to Hernández, which traveled 445 feet, and it was an 11-run, 11-hit inning.
“Pretty disappointing way to end the ballgame,” Akin said in an understatement. “I’m really bummed … You don’t want to lose a ballgame like that at the end. We let it get away from us.”
The 11 runs in the seventh were the most allowed since the Orioles gave up 12 in the first inning on July 30, 2011 against the New York Yankees. The 11 hits were the most since the Orioles allowed 11 in the first game of a doubleheader against Detroit on September 20, 1983.
Springer walked to begin the game against Akin. He then retired 15 straight until Grichuk walked to start the sixth. Valera bunted, and Akin threw wide to first. Initially, Valera was ruled safe but was called out after a review.
Springer popped out to first baseman Trey Mancini in foul territory, and Semien popped out to second, ending the sixth.
“We had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning and an extremely short bullpen for Game 2,” Hyde said. “I was hoping Keegan could finish it.”
Cedric Mullins hit his 29th home run, leading off the third inning. He needs one home run and two stolen bases to become the first Oriole to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season.
The Orioles had a chance to add on when Mancini followed Mullins’ homer with a walk off Thomas Hatch. Anthony Santander doubled and, with runners on second and third, Austin Hays struck out looking, DJ Stewart fouled out, and Jorge Mateo grounded to shortstop.
“I thought Keegan Akin did a great job at changing speeds,” Hyde said. “I thought his fastball had really good life throughout his outing. I was really happy with how he threw, and we only scored one run. That makes it even more difficult in that situation. An opportunity to score a couple of more early didn’t … that would have made it easier on Keegan. A 1-0 game is tough going into the last inning when you have a no-hitter.”
Toronto’s Trevor Richards (7-2) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win.
Richie Martin doubled in the bottom of the seventh and scored when Mullins reached on a throwing error by Bichette.
The Orioles are 46-96 and the Blue Jays are 79-63.
Notes: After the game, the Orioles returned right-hander Dean Kremer to Norfolk and optioned Barreda to the Tides. Kremer was the 29th man for the doubleheader. … Zac Lowther (0-1, 6.91 ERA) will face Steven Matz (11-7, 3.70) on Sunday. … Austin Hays’ 17-game hitting streak ended.
Minor league update: Blaine Knight allowed four runs in 2 1/3 innings as Triple-A Norfolk lost the second game of its doubleheader to Durham, 6-1. The Tides won the first game, 3-1.
Knight (0-1) gave up five hits, struck out one and walked three. Rightfielder Kyle Stowers hit his first Triple-A home run.
Shortstop Jordan Westburg’s three-run, ninth-inning triple lifted Double-A Bowie past Harrisburg, 5-4. The Baysox were trailing 4-1 heading to the ninth. Third baseman Willy Yahn’s RBI single and Westburg’s triple turned the game around. Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis started and allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings.
Zach Peek allowed two runs on four hits in five innings as High-A Aberdeen lost to Wilmington, 3-2. Shortstop A.J. Graffanino hit a two-run home run, his first.
Designated hitter Colton Cowser had four hits and drove in four runs as Low-A Delmarva beat Fredericksburg, 9-7. Cowser, the Orioles’ first-round pick and fifth pick overall, is batting. 377.
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View Comments
Wow ... Akin coming alive with a near quasi no-no! Sounds like a great game despite it being another loss. Sorry I missed it. However, by the looks of only slightly more than 10k in attendence on Saturday night ... A SATURDAY NIGHT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD ... I'm not the only one that has turned this team off in favor of King Football.
This is what Mike Elias has created in 2021. The process roles on.
Oh yeah ...
Hook 'em Horns & Drink Pepsi
Texas is back!… oh wait. Tough loss, they ran into the powerhouse that is Arkansas Razorback football lol
Why did they have a short bullpen, poor management, SHORT DHer, extra player, if you don’t have a pitcher that’s on you…Cowser looks the real deal, can he pitch?…just when you think “It can’t get worse”, it does…go O’s…
2022 had better be the turning point, of I say it's off with the Kings head.
Conspiracy theorists are saying during Springers 7th inning at bat they saw a gray haired guy banging on a garbage can sending incoming pitches to him, hmm…shades of the Astros…oh well…go O’s…
A horrifying afternoon/evening. Wells has been impressive BUT it seems a lot of his outs are "loud" batted outs. This was due to happen. Tyler needs more K's added to his arsenal. Second game--let's start with 15 LOB. Mike Baumann calling Mike Baumann. Where is he? Please don't say he got shuffled off to Norfolk already. Please move on from Scott. Please no more 32-35 year old journeymen relievers. Time to stop the auditions. 2022 is your time Mr. Elias. Time for you to reveal your hand. Young arms,strike throwing arms. How about a few strikeouts out the 'pen--please. That all being said-this Toronto team's got the making of a WS squad. Just wanna know how they turn it on and off so easily. Just when we thought that heralded number one pick was out the window here comes the cavalry. Brandon I guess Friday's outburst may have been in vain after all. Yankees,Red Sox lurking and licking their chops. Again I repeat--Mr. Elias next year's your year. Get ready.
You're right Al ... 2022 is it.
Thanks again, genius, for hanging on to Scott, and Fry!
And they will both be there next year. They are serviceable (not stars) major league pitchers. Who exactly would you have replaced them with?
Anyone who can pitch. God forbid they are both here next year. I thought 2022 was the year to put the cards on the deck or leave the game.
Put the cards on the table, did you mean?
(admittedly I don’t know my gambling lingo)
Table or deck
Just know when to walk away, know when to run, guess they’re counting their $ at the table…go O’s…
Just saw a comment that I thought I should share(I mean steal)---"(paraphrase) maybe Hyde should stop screaming at opposing pitchers so much and start screaming at his own"
But he’s a gentleman…totally agree, being Mr. Nice Guy hasn’t worked…go O’s…
Anybody know if they put Kremer and Barreda on the bus back down right after the game, or do they get to sleep in and catch the bus the following morning? My wife wants to know, and all of the sudden I'm curious about that too.
Sunday… It’ only the third inning and the Jays have 14 runs in and still only one out…TIME TO SURRENDER!… just saying…
This is even worse than the NAVY game yesterday… just saying…
So, if I’m seeing this correctly, we gave up 22 runs in the previous two games, and we’ve given up 14 runs so far today (only the 3rd inning). So collectively Os pitching has given up 36 runs in 21 innings?
That has GOT to be an MLB record, right?
Look up the word ignominy.
Wow this is pitiful.
Hey like my friend here would say it’s a process. More like a total embarrassment and MLB should sit down with the Angelos kids and boy genius because it’s plain bad for the game
Marty, you seem to forget that they gave up 30 runs in a game once!
Your mind is a steel trap Mr Dubroff.
Thanks Rich (I think). When was that?
Either way, ignominy still fits.
2007
Hey, they have a solid chance to beat that modern era MLB record today, Rich!
22-5 in the 6th inning!
So, just doing a little math on a Sunday afternoon. The Jays have scored 44 runs in the last 20 innings vs O’s. Do they keep records of such things? Actually, forget last 20 innings. They’ve scored 33 in last SEVEN innings!!!!!!
It’s still early but so far today only 3 NFL trams have outscored the Jays.
Best posting of the day!!!
Mr. Gruber has the Rays scoring 44 runs in the last 20 innings? So what's your point Dave?
THE O'S HAVE THE NUMBER ONE RANKED MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM!!! THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS!
The Rays were soooo stupid to bring up their young guys so soon.
LMAO…train wreck at its best…go O’s…
Or are we just being crybabies again? :)
BRR, thanks for reminding me of that. It’s been a few minutes since I’ve heard that. I sat in Memorial Stadium many a Sunday afternoon in my lifetime and there was often a similar score. Of course, those were Colts games tho.
LOL
So if you took the O's and 14½ .....YOU LOSE !!
I’d they would’ve converted a couple more 2 pt conversions;)….go O’s…
Yesterday and today, can we say "bottomed out", it can't get any worse??? In think we can close the book on Watkins!!!
t