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BALTIMORE–What happened? For the first time since the end of the 2021 season, a year the Orioles lost 110 games, they’re 12 games under .500.
The Minnesota Twins ran their winning streak to 11 games when they beat the Orioles, 4-0, before 30,926 at Camden Yards on Thursday. The Twins swept a doubleheader on Wednesday.
After the Orioles were 12-18 through April 30th, the hope was that a potentially less difficult schedule would bring out the best. However, the Orioles (15-27) have lost nine of 12 this month.
Six of the nine losses have been to the Twins (24-20).
Oriole starter Tomoyuki Sugano (5-2) allowed back-to-back home runs in the third inning to DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Byron Buxton to give the Twins a 3-0 lead. Keirsey’s was a two-run shot.
Cedric Mullins made a spectacular diving catch on Brooks Lee’s liner in the second, and Mullins hit a pop to short center leading off the third that saw shortstop Carlos Correa and Buxton in center collide. Buxton caught the ball, and after both stayed on the ground for several minutes, Correa left the game. Buxton left an inning later. Both are in Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol.
Sugano (4-3) allowed a career-high four runs in 6 1/3 innings. Royce Lewis’ RBI single in the seventh made it 4-0.
The Orioles were shut out for the sixth time this season. They had just three hits against Chris Paddack (2-3) in seven innings.
“I thought he was great besides that one inning,” manager Brandon Hyde said about Sugano. “I thought he threw the ball extremely well, gave us every opportunity to win. Just left like a slider there to Keirsey, but not many mistakes. That wasn’t the story. He gave us every opportunity. We just had a tough time off Paddack and didn’t score any runs.”
Jackson Holliday led off the first with a single, and Ryan Mountcastle hit into a double play. Mountcastle was thrown out at third base after his double to right in the fourth, and Ryan O’Hearn singled in the fifth after Adley Rutschman walked. Paddack struck out Tyler O’Neill, Mullins and Emmanuel Rivera grounded out to end the fifth.
Mullins doubled in the eighth against Louis Varland, who pitched a scoreless eighth. Rutschman and O’Hearn singled with two outs against Jhoan Duran in the ninth before O’Neill struck out for the third time, ending the game.
What’s wrong with the Orioles’ offense? After winning two of three against the Los Angeles Angels last weekend, the Orioles hoped their season would turn around. Instead, they lost three straight to the Twins and scored in only two of 27 innings.
A lot of our guys are in-between right now,” Hyde said. “Late on fastballs, in front of offspeed. That’s a tough combo. We’re having a tough time getting hits, a tough time just getting on base.”
The Orioles have another opponent with a sub-.500 record, the Washington Nationals, this weekend. Last month, they lost two of three in D.C.
“We continue to work,” Hyde said. “Obviously, we’re hitting [.226] as a club, so that’s going to be a tough recipe with giving up over five runs a game. We’ve got to continue to put the effort in. I thought we swung the bat better in Anaheim, OK at times yesterday, and today we had a tough day.”
How does O’Hearn see things? O’Hearn is the Orioles’ leading hitter, with a .295 average. After last weekend’s series, he thought the Orioles were ready to begin a turnaround.
“You’ve got to be optimistic. I don’t ever show up to the ballpark thinking that we’re going to lose,” he said. “It was a good series in Anaheim, and this feels like a kick in the [pants], for sure. The mindset is show up tomorrow and win a baseball game, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
O’Hearn knows that a turnaround will be hard, but he thinks it can be done.
“Guys got to keep going through the struggle that they’re going through, keep trying to figure out their swing, keep trying to get up there or keep trying to do whatever it is they’re trying to achieve, and then, get out there and forget about all that and compete, battle,” he said. “It doesn’t always look pretty up there in the box, but you’ve got to get the job done. Like I said, I believe in our guys. I’m not going to waver on that at all. We have a lot of really good players, and it sucks, it’s not fun. But we’re going to keep going.”
How did Sugano feel? Sugano’s four runs allowed were the most he’s given up, and his six hits were the second highest. It was the third game he allowed two home runs.
“I tried to make sure they didn’t score first, but unfortunately, I gave up a couple runs that inning,” he said through his translator.
What does it mean? It’s becoming more difficult by the game for the Orioles to consider a playoff run. They’ll try to begin their comeback this weekend.
What’s the word? “We have to keep fighting, there is no other option. You have to keep fighting. You can’t give up. You can’t give in. I believe in the guys in this clubhouse. We have talented players.”-O’Hearn on the Orioles’ mood.
What’s the stat of the day? The Orioles are 0-23 when trailing after six innings.
“If we get into the fifth, sixth, seventh and we’re down a couple runs, I still believe that we’re going to come back and win,” O’Hearn said. “I still have that feeling that we’ve done it a lot over the last few years and I know the integrity of this team and guys don’t want to give at-bats away and, unfortunately, there’s just — some guys are struggling right now but it’s not for a lack of effort.”
What’s going on in the minor leagues? In the resumption of a suspended game from Wednesday, Triple-A Norfolk lost to Jacksonville, 12-6. Roansy Contreras allowed six runs, five earned, in 2 1/3 innings. Rightfielder Dylan Beavers had four hits. Third baseman Vimael Machin had a three-run triple.
Double-A Chesapeake right-hander Patrick Reilly had right elbow Tommy John surgery on Wednesday by Dr. Keith Meister. The Orioles say the surgery on the team’s 10th-ranked prospect in MLB Pipeline was successful.
What’s next? The Orioles open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Friday night at 7:05. Cade Povich (1-3, 5.55) will face MacKenzie Gore (2-4, 3.59).
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich,@BaltimoreBaseball.com
