SAN FRANCISCO – The first batter that Tomoyuki Sugano faced today was denied a hit on Colton Cowser’s sensational diving catch of a sinking line drive. The second batter found the solution by launching a fastball over Cowser’s head and the center field fence.
Rafael Devers gave the Giants an early lead and the Orioles unraveled in the fourth in a 13-2 loss before an announced crowd of 39,220 at Oracle Park.
The Orioles followed a 1-7 homestand by going 1-2 in San Francisco to leave their record at 61-76. They fly to San Diego for another three-game series.
Catcher Alex Jackson made his pitching debut in the eighth, walked the first two batters and allowed three runs. Third base coach Matt Williams held runners in an attempt to limit the embarrassment.
That horse already left the barn, but the gesture was appreciated.
A 15th shutout loss was averted when Daniel Johnson led off the ninth with a gift double after right fielder Luis Matos turned the wrong way on a liner and it clanked off his glove. Johnson scored on Jackson Holliday's double and Gunnar Henderson had an RBI single.
Sugano was charged with seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. He saw Cowser rob leadoff hitter Heliot Ramos, but also Jeremiah Jackson’s throwing error on a bouncer from Christian Koss in the fourth and Drew Gilbert’s fly ball to left field that followed and led to two more runs scoring when Johnson slipped and fell as he approached it.
The bleeding wouldn’t stop. Ramos had an RBI single, Devers doubled to get within a triple of the cycle, and the only out was recorded earlier when catcher Samuel Basallo threw out Matt Chapman trying to steal after a leadoff single.
Seven batters came to the plate and seven reached before interim manager Tony Mansolino removed Sugano. Kade Strowd stranded two runners in scoring position.
The seven runs and 10 hits off Sugano match his career highs in the U.S. His ERA rose from 4.06 to 4.41.
The Giants scored twice in the third and tested Cowser again, an unintended infatuation with him.
Drew Gilbert reached on an infield hit with one out, Heliot Ramos singled to center and Devers followed with a liner to left-center that Cowser trapped while attempting another diving grab. Cowser played the short hop on his stomach and threw back to the infield from his knees.
Willy Adames’ sacrifice fly – to Cowser, of course – increased the lead to 3-0.
Cowser appeared to take body inventory while pitching coach Drew French and interpreter Yuto Sukurai went to the mound. He squatted with his head lowered and flexed his left elbow before rising. The Giants’ broadcast kept going back to him for updates.
The fourth was a disaster. Koss was credited with an infield hit and RBI, and Jackson skipped a throw past Ryan Mountcastle. Johnson tracked Gilbert’s ball, reached for it and lost his footing. The series featured sloppy play in Friday’s loss and a much crisper performance in yesterday’s win. Today should be stricken from the record.
Dominic Smith had an RBI single off Corbin Martin in the sixth inning after Jackson booted a ground ball, and another unearned run scored with two outs when Luis Vázquez did the same at shortstop. Yennier Cano replaced Martin and issued a bases-loaded walk.
The Orioles faced 42-year-old Justin Verlander, who made his major league debut in July 2005. Holliday was born in December 2003 and Basallo was born in August 2004.
Verlander and Basallo provided the largest gap in age involving an Oriole since Darren Oliver (42 years, 342 days) faced Manny Machado (21 years, 69 days) on Sept. 13, 2013.
Five rookies were on the field for the Orioles today – Sugano, Basallo, Jackson, Vázquez and Dylan Beavers. They had six on Sept. 25, 2021 with Mountcastle, Jahmai Jones, Kelvin Gutiérrez, Nick Ciuffo, Ryan McKenna and Chris Ellis.
Maybe in September.
Verlander shut out the Orioles on two hits over four innings but also threw 94 pitches, contributing to the lackluster pace of the game. Manager Bob Melvin sent him back out for the fifth and he stranded two runners after Holliday walked and Jackson singled. Henderson was his ninth strikeout victim and Mountcastle was his 10th to establish a season high.
Fans gave Verlander a standing ovation as he returned to the dugout after throwing 121 pitches. He induced 23 swings-and-misses, the most against the Orioles this season.
Today marked the 73rd double-digit strikeout performance from Verlander. The last before today was Oct. 4, 2022 against the Phillies.
Basallo struck out on a high fastball in the fourth, on the ninth pitch, yelled at himself walking back to the dugout and slammed the bat on the ground.
The 20-year major league veteran struck out the side and five of seven batters. He had eight through the fourth, one shy of his season high on April 9, and blew past it.
* Holliday walked three times to raise his total this month to 21. He ranks second behind Rickey Henderson’s 29 in September 1980 for most walks by a leadoff hitter in a month at age 21 or younger.
* Dylan Cease starts for the Padres on Monday night, followed by Yu Darvish Tuesday and Nestor Cortes Wednesday. The Orioles are going with Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich.
* Jorge Mateo went 0-for-3 with two walks today with Triple-A Norfolk. Trey Gibson allowed four runs and seven hits in three innings. Chayce McDermott allowed two hits and struck out a batter in a scoreless innings.
Class A Delmarva’s Keeler Morfe tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings and Denton Biller had 3 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit. Cobb Hightower collected three hits.