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BALTIMORE–What happened? Cedric Mullins and Jordan Westburg, two key Orioles, returned to the lineup on Tuesday after time on the injured list. Just before gametime, the Orioles placed Jorge Mateo on the injured list.
After a six-game road trip, the Orioles returned to play the Detroit Tigers, with the best record in baseball, and despite a late rally, came up short.
The Orioles trailed, 2-1, heading into the fifth, but Cade Povich allowed four straight two-out hits and Detroit was on its way to a 5-3 win before 20,291 at Camden Yards.
After winning six straight, the Orioles (26-39) have lost three of their last four.
Zach McKinstry tripled with one out in the second and scored on Wanceel Pérez’s sacrifice fly.
The Orioles tied it in the bottom of the third when Jackson Holliday singled with one out, stole second and scored on Gunnar Henderson’s single after a 10-pitch at-bat.
Pérez’s double and Javier Baez’s RBI single in the fourth put the Tigers (44-24) ahead, 2-1. In the fifth, it was Riley Greene’s double, Dirk Dingler’s run-scoring single and Spencer Torkelson’s 16th homer to put the Orioles behind, 5-1.
Povich allowed five runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
“Apparently not making good enough pitches. I don’t know. It’s soft is what it is,” Povich said.
Detroit used Brian Hurter as its opener. Hurter pitched 5 2/3 hitless innings as the bulk reliever last September 13th when the Tigers came within one out of a no-hitter. He allowed one run on two hits in 2 2/3 innings. Chase Lee (3-0) struck out Ramón Laureano for the third out in the third.
Sawyer Gipson-Lee took over in the fourth and allowed a run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Holliday doubled with one out in the eighth, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Adley Rutschman’s deep sacrifice fly to left.
Gunnar Henderson doubled with one out against Gipson-Long. Tommy Kahnle walked Laureano and struck out Ryan O’Hearn to end the eighth after it appeared he had walked on a 3-0 pitch that missed the strike zone.
Westburg homered against Will Vest, leading off the ninth. It was his fifth of the season and first since April 19th.
Mullins, who was hitless in four at-bats, struck out to end the game. Vest recorded his 11th save.
Mateo, playing center field, collided with rightfielder Heston Kjerstad on May 31st and injured his left elbow. Last July, Mateo and Henderson collided in Miami, and a month later, he had Tommy John surgery on that elbow. An MRI showed no structural damage, and the Orioles don’t know when he’ll play again.
“Inflammation’s building up over time,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “Just talking to us about it, bothering him a little bit. Got an image. Kind of saw what it was. Our group got together and made a plan to take care of Jorgie and made the decision.
“Any time you have a history like that and something pops up there is concern. I feel our medical staff isn’t super concerned about it. I think it’s more of a scenario of ‘let’s take care of Jorgie, let’s make sure he’s healthy and give him the best chance to help us win and help himself.”
What’s wrong with Povich? Against an excellent team, four of the five runs Povich allowed came after he got two outs.
“Unusual for him. Usually, I don’t feel like we’ve seen that out of him since maybe last year when he first kind of came up we saw it, but had a tough night,” Mansolino said.
In his last start against Seattle last Wednesday, Povich allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
“I feel like you see him in Seattle and how he handled Seattle, which is a lineup that was swinging the bat really good, and it helps you dream on him a little bit and you feel good about him going into it,” Mansolino said. “You see the two quick outs three of the five innings against a pretty tough lineup and you feel good about him. He just couldn’t kind of slow down the damage once it started. It happened really fast tonight, and that was probably the story of the game.”
What does it mean? Despite runs in the eighth and ninth, the Orioles lost their second straight game. The euphoria of that six-game winning streak has quickly faded.
What’s the stat of the day? The 7-8-9 hitters — Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, Urías and Mullins — were a combined 0-for-12.
What’s the word? “Yeah, I mean, top to bottom, they have really competitive at-bats. And you know, their pitching staff is really good. So, yeah, they got a pretty good team.”-Henderson on the Tigers.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Continuing his rehab, catcher Gary Sánchez hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs in Triple-A Norfolk’s 9-5 win over Nashville. First baseman Samuel Basallo drove in three runs.
Third baseman Max Wagner drove in three runs in Double-A Chesapeake’s 7-6 loss to Harrisburg in 11 innings.
Leftfielder Aron Estrada drove in two runs as High-A Aberdeen lost to Jersey Shore, 7-3. Catcher/first baseman Ethan Anderson is on the injured list.
Designated hitter Elis Cuevas hit a three-run home run in Single-A Delmarva’s 5-4 win over Salem.
Weaver book talk at Babe Ruth Museum: John W. Miller, author of the best-selling book on Earl Weaver: “The Last Manager” will appear at the Babe Ruth Museum on Saturday from 12-2 p.m. The museum is at 216 Emory Street, a few blocks from Oriole Park.
What’s next? Zach Eflin (5-2, 4.47) will face Casey Mize (6-1, 2.91) on Wednesday night at 6:35.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: [email protected]
