Orioles Fail To Score For Shane Baz Again, Fail To Sweep Rays

Shane Baz Has Not Won a Game Since June 12.

The streak continued after Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the series. The O’s mustered two measly hits in a 3-1 loss at Camden Yards. At this point, they place themselves even further from the Wild Card as they take a day off before heading to St. Louis to face the Cardinals, the start of another 10-day road trip (they just came off one a week ago).

A Hot Start Wasn't Enough

Baz entered the game after a superb start against the Yankees where he recorded ten strikeouts in six and a third. The outcome of that game? The Orioles lost 3-1. Baz suffered the same fate against his former team.

The Orioles offense gave Baz exactly zero runs of support. He pitched five innings of no run ball where he only gave up two hits before he collapsed in the sixth. Up to that point, he maintained his normal fastball velocity and was able to find the corner of the plate. He walked a couple on some high and low knuckle curves but shut down any batters after that.

The downfall began with a Jackson Holliday butchered attempt at a groundball at second (though recorded as an infield hit) that would lead to a run on a wild pitch.

In a post-game press conference, manager Craig Albernaz commented, “It’s not a routine play by any stretch. It’s one of those where he had a great beat on it, but it just got underneath his glove.” Could the manager’s lack of assertion and responsibility contribute to Holliday’s defensive struggles this season?

The two-out rally continued with a Junior Caminero single up the middle, making it 2-0. After another walk, that was enough for Albernaz to pull Baz with runners on first and second for Grant Wolfram. Wolfram, falling apart the last two months, would give up a hit which turned into another Baz earned run.

Yet again, the final score fails to tell the full story, and Baz will have to try his hardest not to let his bad luck on the bump get to his head any more than it already has. He remains the third unluckiest pitcher in baseball; he has the third most quality outings (six plus innings giving up three runs or less) where he ends up losing. The Orioles are somehow 6-20 when he starts and 57-48 when anyone else throws the first pitch of a game - a pace that would center for the division.

“He’s been great all year," said outfielder Colton Cowser said, whose double and solo homer were it for any Orioles' offense on Sunday. "For whatever reason we haven’t put up runs when he’s pitching."

The only positive to come out of the outing was Samuel Basallo’s impressive performance behind the plate, in which he threw out two runners trying to steal second (one being Chandler Simpson, one of the fastest runners in baseball). The rookie recently returned from the injured list but proved the injury ha not hampered a plus-plus throwing arm - his carrying trait.

O’s Still Can’t Hit Starting Pitching

The Rays started Nick Martinez, a 36-year-old who made his first all start appearance this season.

The righty is known for forcing weak contact and throwing strikes. That was certainly the case on Sunday as he would end up with six innings pitched on one hit and four k’s. 60 of his 86 pitches were strikes, so the O’s evidently couldn’t make up for their lack of contact with walks or long at-bats. Martinez defined the game by weak ground balls to short and pop ups that never left the infield.

There’s a reason Martinez hasn’t been a top starter in past years. His fastball velocity tops out at around 94, which in today’s game is seen as a major red flag. If you were watching him face the Orioles, you may have thought he was throwing triple digits. Cowser's double down the right field line on a cutter that caught too much of the zone was about it.

The Orioles for years do damage against high-velo arms but struggle against junkballers. This season has been no different.

Even after the Rays pulled the starter, the O’s did nothing until the 9th. Manager Kevin Cash brought in former Oriole Bryan Baker to close out the game and he immediately give up Cowser's blast to the flag court after blowing Saturday's game. Leody Taveras advanced to second on an error after a bunt, but that's as far the comeback went.

Gunnar Henderson (four RBIs this month) hit a ground ball and the game was over. Henderson entered this game with an astonishing slash of: .143/.205/.204 (.454 OPS) and was visibly frustrated yet again in this game. Pete Alonso, carrying this lineup since the All-Star break, could not extend his career-high 15-game hit streak.

Subscribe To "The Daily Flock" On YouTube For Riveting Orioles Coverage And Discourse:

Add us as a preferred source on Google