Orioles’ Alonso on stretch before All-Star break: ‘This is a really important time’

BALTIMORE—The Orioles are back home for the final stretch before the All-Star break. They’ll play 12 of 15 games at home and will try to make up ground after their road trip ended with a disastrous 10-inning, 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

The Orioles went 4-5, but first baseman Pete Alonso knows the road trip record should have been better.

“I think we could have easily gone 7-2,” Alonso said. “There was only three innings, where it’s like, ‘Man, if we had those innings, it would have been a completely different story coming back on the way home.’”

However, the Orioles self-destructed in those innings, making the next 15 games critical if the Orioles are going to contend.

“This is a really important time,” Alonso said. “For us to accomplish what we want to this year, it’s not a matter of wanting. It’s having to do it. If we figure out a way to play clean baseball late in games, then we’re going to be able to go where we want to go.

“We’ll be able to go to the postseason and be able to do a lot of special things after that. There are a lot of tough lessons that had to be learned, whether it be pitching, defense, baserunning, a little bit of everything that we need to improve on. Not just during the road trip, but over the course of the year so far. It’s not an issue about can or can’t … We just need to execute when the time comes.”

Alonso was among those who made some head-scratching plays, moving to his right to field a ground ball in the 10th that second baseman Jeremiah Jackson had covered. Relief pitcher Keegan Akin scrambled to first, while Alonso was hustling to get back, and Jackson’s soft underhand toss to Akin was dropped, leading to an Orioles giveaway in a game they once led, 5-2.

Manager Craig Albernaz believes the Orioles still have the potential to be contenders.

“It was a mixed back on the road trip, for sure,” Albernaz said. “We’ve shown the ability to play really good baseball, which we have all year, but we’ve also shown that we’ve given away some wins. Sometimes our guys, it felt like, they’re scared to lose instead of taking the win.

“I think that’s where guys are, not pressing. They know where we are. They care. They try to do the right thing. Sometimes that comes with some tightened play … The inconsistency is what’s keeping me up at night. Hopefully, with the second half coming up, we can start playing some real consistent baseball.”

Rutschman working out

Catcher Adley Rutschman, who’s on the 7-day concussion injured list, had a full work day before Friday night’s game.

“He’s trending in the right direction,” Albernaz said. “We’re checking all the boxes and go from there.”

Second baseman Jackson Holliday is back in the lineup for the first time since Saturday. Holliday, who was out with groin tightness, pinch-hit in Wednesday’s game.

“He’s trending in the right direction, too,” Albernaz said.

Orioles-Nationals lineups

Orioles

Taylor Ward-LF

Gunnar Henderson-SS

Pete Alonso-1B

Coby Mayo-DH

Tyler O’Neill-RF

Samuel Basallo-C

Leody Taveras-CF

Jackson Holliday-2B

Blaze Alexander-3B

Trevor Rogers-RHP

Nationals

James Wood-RF

Curtis Mead-3B

Andres Chapparo-1B

CJ Abrams-SS

Dylan Crews-LF

Daylen Lile-DH

Jacob Young-CF

Nasim Nuñez-2B

Keibert Ruiz-C

Andrew Alvarez-LHP

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