The Orioles looked like a team that finally had reached its limit, that was done being pushed around. They were no-hit for seven innings Saturday in New York and for six tonight on their home turf. And then they exploded, launching three consecutive home runs to take the lead.
But these aren’t the comeback Orioles of previous seasons, when they’d routinely close the deal. That’s why a club in a state of desperation to build a winning streak that might get it into the Wild Card chase can’t stop spinning its wheels.
Félix Bautista put a runner on second base with no outs in the top of the ninth and escaped the jam, but Evan Carter scored on Sam Haggerty’s fielder’s choice grounder against Seranthony Domínguez in the 10th, and the Orioles lost to the Rangers 6-5 before an announced crowd of 16,909 at Camden Yards.
Cedric Mullins laid down a sacrifice bunt against Robert Garcia that moved automatic runner Luis Vázquez to third base. Dylan Carlson struck out and Jackson Holliday flied out.
The outcome moved the Orioles 11 games below .500 again at 34-45. They can claim the series on Wednesday but they’re 3-9 in rubber games.
Bautista has a scoreless streak dating back to May 30. Domínguez hasn’t permitted an earned run since May 24 in Boston. Carter, the automatic runner tonight, was ruled safe upon review after Holliday fielded Haggerty’s grounder and threw home.
The Orioles had a short bench, which led to Vázquez batting with two outs in the ninth after entering at third base and Ramón Urías moving to first. Jordan Westburg remained day-to-day with a sprained left finger and Colton Cowser apparently was unavailable.
Rangers reliever Chris Martin faced three batters in the seventh and they strung together three home runs. Gary Sánchez started it with a three-run shot, Urías tied the game and future All-Star Ryan O’Hearn gave them a 5-4 lead.
The last back-to-back-to back home runs for the Orioles came from Jonathan Schoop, Chris Davis and Trey Mancini on Aug. 6, 2017 against the Tigers.
The Orioles came out sluggish with the bats. Clarke Schmidt no-hit them for seven innings Saturday and left-hander Jacob Latz did it tonight before Ramón Laureano’s leadoff single in the seventh. Gunnar Henderson lined out at 104.7 mph to end the fourth. The only baserunners before Laureano poked a 2-2 changeup into center field came on walks to Holliday leading off the fourth and Sánchez leading off the fifth. Latz responded with three strikeouts in a row to continue his pursuit of history.
Latz was viewed as an opener, but he logged a career-high six-plus innings. His previous best of 5 2/3 came in his last appearance in bulk relief. Tonight marked only his third start in 67 games.
Henderson walked in the seventh to put two runners on base with no outs and bring Martin into the game. Sánchez launched an 0-2 cutter to left field to reduce the lead to 4-3. Urías reached the edge of the flag court in right on another cutter and mimicked the umpire’s home run signal as he rounded first base. And O’Hearn carried a fastball 406 feet to center field as the crowd erupted again.
Charlie Morton didn’t absorb heavy punishment in the fourth inning tonight. His treatment was more like being elbowed on a crowded light rail. But it hurt, nonetheless.
A walk, two groundball singles, fielder’s choice with an off-target throw to the plate and fly ball gave the Rangers a three-run lead. The Orioles still didn’t have a baserunner. They didn’t appear to have a way to make up ground. Just like in the standings.
Morton was drained of 43 pitches in the fourth and the Orioles’ offense ran on empty until Sánchez’s three-run homer.
The game-time temperature was 100 degrees again. The Orioles ditched the live hot dog races this week in favor of the old video board contests. No one wants to see relish pass out near the finish line.
There might be a hot dog mascot union that prohibits it.
In the top of the fourth, only the free pass to Corey Seager can be hung on Morton. Marcus Semien’s bouncer sneaked through the left side and Seager scored on Carter’s ball that got through the right at 77.7 mph. Henderson made a wide throw to the plate after fielding Josh Jung’s grounder, and Alejandro Osuna followed with a sacrifice fly.
Laureano had a shot at Seager, but his throw was a bit up the first base line and Sánchez couldn’t hold onto it. Carter advanced to second base and Laureano was charged with an error.
The Orioles caught a break on Kyle Higashoika’s two-out double. The ball hopped the left field wall, forcing Jung back to third base.
Morton helped his own cause in the second by picking off Jung after a two-out single, but he had traffic throughout his outing until coming back out for the fifth and retiring the side in order on nine pitches to ease a little of the bullpen workload.
The 100 pitches tied Morton’s season high.
Keegan Akin inherited a bases-loaded, two-out mess for Andrew Kittredge in the sixth and retired Josh Smith on a ground ball, but he allowed a run in the seventh. Akin’s usage could eliminate him from opener consideration Wednesday and give rookie Brandon Young the start.
Pinch-hitter Jonah Heim tied the game 5-5 in the eighth with a sacrifice fly off Gregory Soto after Haggerty walked and stole two bases.
* Triple-A Norfolk’s Cameron Weston held Gwinnett to an unearned run and one hit in six innings. He walked one and struck out seven.
Tyler O’Neill went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts at Double-A Chesapeake.