Orioles Bats Silenced, Wasting Gem From Bassitt To Drop Opener To Blue Jays

The two starting pitchers sharing the mound at Camden Yards Thursday night combined for 73 years on the planet and 23 years of service time.

One of them, Toronto’s Patrick Corbin, was one of the worst pitchers in baseball a year ago, and the other, Chris Bassitt, has been one of the worst in baseball this year. And when they had both made way for bullpens they had each surrendered only a solo home run as the Orioles and Blue Jays headed to the late innings. Baseball can be funny sometimes.

Whichever bullpen blinked first would probably lose, and Anthony Nunez (who they insist using in uber-leverage spots) gave up a leadoff double to George Springer in the 8th and ended up walking him in, with the Orioles losing for just the second time on this critical 10-game homsestand, 2-1. The Orioles, horrible on the basepaths all season, killed a potential rally with Pete Alonso picked off first in the bottom of the 8th with a runner on second, and that was that.

Just when you think maybe they've put some of that low-IQ ball bejhind them, you're reminded of what they've been at their core for sevral years running.

"That can't happen, and he acknowledged it," rookie skipper Craig Albernaz told reporters after the game, noting he spoke with Alonso about the mistake. "And it's something we have to be on top of."

Quiet Bats All Around

It looked like the Orioles (26-31) might pick up where they left off in the Tampa series, with the Rays defense wilting all over and Baltimore capitalizing. Toronto committed two errors on the same ground ball in the first, leaving the O’s with second and third and no outs, but Corbin ramped up the strikeouts and no damage was done.

"That's a situation where you'd like to scratch one across," Albernaz said.

Corbin, 36 ended up navigating through five innings, scattering four hits and not having to pitch out of too much trouble after the first inning jam. He is having a comeback season the likes of which no one could have seen coming, and only youngster Coby Mayo – becoming a left killer – beat him with an opposite field shot a good 400 feet.

As for Bassitt, 37, he badly needed to present himself in a more consistent manner and he did just that against a Toronto lineup that has been scuffling all season and looks nothing like the group that near won the World Series a few months back. He surrendered just a solo shot to Andres Gimenez, catcher Adley Rutschman, better defensively than he’s been in years, helped him out with a caught stealing.

Bassitt cruised through six innings allowing four hits, and while he wasn’t getting much swing-and-miss, he also walked just one batter. It marked the fifth straight solid enough outing by an Orioles starter; they entered this homestand with second-highest starting ERA in the month of May. And Bassitt brought his best against a team he nearly celebrated a title with last year.

"He was ready to face his former team," Albernaz said. "His velo was up. He did a great job of mixing his pitches."

Bird Seed

The Orioles continue to yo-yo crucial top arms, sending Trey Gibson back to Norfolk after nothing his first win and calling up reliver Cameron Weston. Weston made his MLB debut in the ninth inning, quickly registering a strikeout … Albernaz did not have a definitive update on reliver Yennier Cano before the game; Cano left Wednesday’s game with hamstring discomfort ... Trevor Rogers, the weakest link in this Orioles rotation, is scheduled to start Friday ... Toronto has won 10 of 15 after a terrible start. Closer Louis Varland was fairly unhittable for them again, with their bullpen a strength this season.

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