DENVER – Seranthony Domínguez has converted his seven save opportunities with the Orioles following the trade that unfolded near the deadline that sent outfielder Austin Hays to the Phillies.

The ride can’t be described as smooth, but he usually gets the team where it wants to finish.

The occasional bumps have resulted in all of the scoring against Domínguez. He’s allowed five runs in 15 innings on solo homers by José Ramírez on Aug. 3, Rob Refsnyder on the 18^th, Francisco Alvarez on the 19^th, Jesse Winker on the 21^st and Brendan Rodgers Friday night.

Alvarez and Winker had walk-off homers for the Mets at Citi Field to stick Domínguez with both losses. Four of the home runs were hit in a span of seven appearances.

In 16 games, Domínguez has registered a 3.00 ERA and 0.933 WHIP with 10 hits, four walks and 19 strikeouts.

With last night’s game, a 7-5 loss at Colorado, the Orioles have played 137 games with 25 to go in the 2024 regular season.

If we count March as its own month and we will as the Orioles played three games then, they’ve now completed six months of baseball.

Here is a statistical look at each month with the team record, the staff ERA and OPS against and the offense’s runs per game each month with the OPS on offense by the club.

* March, 2-1 record: 3.00 ERA, .533 OPS against, 8.33 runs per game & .823 OPS.

* April, 17-9 record: 3.75 ERA, .695 OPS against, 5.08 runs per game & .755 OPS.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• Agreed to terms on a 2024 Minor League contract with RHP Adrian Houser.

The Orioles, 2-2 on their road trip out west, play Game 2 at Colorado tonight after beating the Rockies 5-3 last night at Coors Field.

Getting to five runs seems to be big for the Orioles. Last night they did that for just the third time in the last 13 games. They are 3-0 in those games. For the season the Orioles have scored five runs or more 63 times, and they are 55-8 (.873) in those games.

So, score five and thrive.

But over those 13 games, in going 6-7, the Orioles scored 48 runs for 3.7 runs per game, well under their season average of 4.95, which ranks fourth-best in the majors.

In the 13 games, the O’s have a team batting line of .185/.260/.334/.594. They went 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position last night but have gone 13-for-77 (.169) in the 13 games.

Orioles reliever Matt Bowman has made a nice first impression with the Orioles in his first few games with the team. As it turns out, they made a real nice first impression on him too.

Bowman has thrown 20 1/3 innings this year, but for four different major league teams. The Maryland native knows something about starting over with a new club, and he really likes the way the O’s pitching coaches basically have let him do his thing so far.

The results are quite good. He got five big outs in Tuesday’s win at Los Angeles and was not scored on with the Orioles until his fifth outing, on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

In 5 1/3 innings with the club he’s allowed two hits and one run with a 0.94 WHIP and .111 batting average against. He’s also stranded three inherited runners.

His wild ride this year began when he signed with the Twins in January. Arizona picked him up in a cash deal May 2. He was granted free agency several times this year through various opt-outs. In late May he refused a minors assignment with Arizona and wound up with Seattle. They released him, and on July 4 Minnesota signed him again, then released him on Aug. 12. The O’s got him three days later.

DENVER – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde broke out the right-handed lineup tonight, having learned a while ago to write with his fingers crossed.

Emmanuel Rivera would play first base and bat seventh, getting another start with Ryan Mountcastle on the injured list. Rivera responded with his first hits, home run and RBIs with the Orioles to prove that he can do more than draw walks.

They’ll take anything from their offense, of course. This isn’t a team that can afford to be picky.

Albert Suárez navigated some early trouble to complete a career-high seven innings, Jackson Holliday had an RBI triple and run scored in the ninth, and the Orioles defeated the Rockies 5-3 before an announced crowd of 30,444 at Coors Field.

The Orioles went 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position but improved their record to 78-58. The Yankees defeated the Cardinals earlier today to maintain their 1 ½-game lead in the division.

The Orioles West Coast trip moved a bit inland but still far away from Camden Yards. The O's have moved from Los Angeles to Denver and tonight will begin a three-game series at Coors Field versus the Colorado Rockies.

The Orioles (77-58) begin play this weekend 1.5 games behind the New York Yankees (78-56) who this weekend host the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The Rockies (50-85, .370) have the second-worst record in the National League, ahead of only Miami. Colorado just split four games versus Miami, scoring eight runs each of the last three games and 27 runs in the series.

Colorado has lost six of nine and 10 of their past 16 games. The Rockies are 12-20 since July 26 with a -49 run differential in that span.

But while the Rockies are 19-50 (.275) on the road, they are much better at home at 31-35 (.470). In their past 26 games at home, they are 15-11.

DENVER – The Orioles can feel a lot better about their rotation.

Zach Eflin had a bullpen session this afternoon at Coors Field and is ready to hop back onto the active roster. He’s eligible to be reinstated Sunday and the Orioles kept that spot TBA.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Eflin is “probable” to close out the series against the Rockies which also concludes the latest road trip.

“Probably see how he recovers tomorrow and then we’ll see how it goes,” Hyde said.

Eflin has registered four quality starts in his four appearances with the Orioles. He went on the injured list retroactive to Aug. 17 with inflammation in his right shoulder, another harsh blow to a club that’s already missing Grayson Rodriguez until mid-to-late September and Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells for the rest of 2024.

DENVER – The Orioles have totaled four hits or fewer in five of their last 11 games. They’ve scored three runs or fewer in eight of their last 12.

Manager Bandon Hyde has only so many lineup combinations to play. He’s got Austin Slater leading off tonight and Emmanuel Rivera playing first base against Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber at Coors Field. James McCann is catching.

Slater is 9-for-19 with three doubles and two triples against Gomber. Rivera and McCann are 1-for-6 with a home run.

Adley Rutschman is on the bench. He went 2-for-12 against the Dodgers and is batting .211/.285/.325 in 33 games since the All-Star break.

Eloy Jiménez is the cleanup hitter. Ramón Urías is batting fifth.

LOS ANGELES – The Orioles won by 3-2 on Tuesday night. They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers with a shutdown bullpen and a go-ahead homer by Ramon Urias.

They were in excellent shape to win the series from the club with the best record in the majors and one with a great home record. But two losses followed, and the Orioles fell to 1.5 games back of the idle Yankees for the AL East lead.

Their bullpen had a strong series, how about that? But their starters and batters did not.

The win one, lose one mode might be enough to get the Orioles to the playoffs but they will need to play better when they get there.

The O’s offense hit .182 this series, scoring 10 runs with six extra-base hits in Los Angeles and they went 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position.

DENVER - The Orioles are in Colorado for three games against the last-place Rockies, who are a bottom-three team in the majors. They are polar opposites of the Dodgers. It’s like drinking San Pellegrino or straight from the garden hose.

The clubs met at Camden Yards last summer and the Orioles won two of three, with each game decided by a single run. The Rockies won two of three in 2019 at Coors Field during the infant stages of the Orioles’ rebuild.

Known as “infant” because it made you cry every hour.

In the Orioles’ lone victory, Keon Broxton played center field and Stevie Wilkerson was in left. Hanser Alberto batted leadoff. Josh Lucas tossed three scoreless innings for his only major league save.

My only memory of that series isn’t Josh Lucas. It’s Broxton swinging at the first pitch thrown to him as an Oriole, by former prospect Jeff Hoffman, and hitting it 474 feet onto the left field concourse. Jaws dropped in the press box simultaneously, creating a sound louder than the home run.

LOS ANGELES – In the early innings tonight, Orioles lefty Cade Povich was getting into and out of trouble. But he could not keep escaping damage.

The Dodgers scored four off him in the last of the fourth to open a 5-0 lead. They beat the Orioles 6-3 to take two of three in this series pitting two of baseball’s best clubs against each other.

Los Angeles (80-54) becomes the first team in the majors to hit the 80-win mark and has won eight of 10, 14 of 19 and 17 of its last 24.

The Dodgers are 5-0 this year in series versus American League East teams, going 11-4 over 15 games.

At 77-58, the Orioles have lost three of four and eight of 13 games. They end a two-series stretch versus the first-place Astros and Dodgers going 3-4. And they are now 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees, who had tonight off.

LOS ANGELES – With 28 games left in the regular season, the chase is on for the Orioles. They are chasing a playoff berth and an American League East title, but also chasing the calendar in terms of getting their injured players back with enough time both to perform at their previous levels and also impact the playoff race.

In that regard, Sunday could be a big day for the team in their series finale at Colorado. Right-hander Zach Eflin can return from the injured list that day. He is 4-0 with an ERA of 2.13 in four O’s starts. The last one was Aug. 15 and he went on the IL with right shoulder inflammation after that game.

But now, without a rehab assignment or even having faced any hitters in a simulated game, he is on the verge of rejoining the rotation.

“He is a possibility for Sunday, yeah,” manager Brandon Hyde confirmed today. “I know he was going to throw today, but yeah, there is a chance he can pitch Sunday.”

Meanwhile right-hander Grayson Rodriguez threw off flat ground pregame twice during this series with the Dodgers on Tuesday and again today. Rodriguez, 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, last pitched July 31 and is on the IL with right lat/teres discomfort. 

LOS ANGELES – With one uplifting win followed by a disappointing loss for the Orioles in this series, the Birds and Dodgers play the rubber match game tonight at Dodger Stadium.

The first two games featured big and loud crowds as the clubs have seen 105,672 fans this series.

The Orioles (77-57) could have tied for first place in the American League East but lost 6-4 last night. They have lost two of three, four of seven and seven of the last 12 games. They are 8-12 all-time versus the Dodgers and 3-5 at Dodger Stadium, where the Orioles won the first two games of the 1966 World Series.

In Game 2 of that World Series, current O’s broadcaster Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter in a 6-0 victory where he got the win and Sandy Koufax took the loss. Palmer was just 20 and Koufax had posted an ERA of 1.73 during the season. That turned out to be the last game for Koufax, who retired following the World Series.

But back to present day ...

LOS ANGELES – The Orioles and Dodgers have split the first two games of this three-game series and tonight's winner will take the series at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles (79-54, .594) has the best record in the major leagues and has won seven of nine, 13 of 18 and 16 of its last 23 games. In the 23 games, the Dodgers are scoring 5.1 runs per game with a team ERA of 3.19.

The Dodgers are 44-24 at home and 26-14 versus American League teams.

The O's lineup tonight is a look we've seen a lot versus right-handers with Colton Cowser leading off, Adley Rutschman catching and Gunnar Henderson at shortstop. Eloy Jiménez is the designated hitter and Cedric Mullins is back in center field and batting seventh.

The Orioles (77-57) begin play today one game behind the Yankees, who are off, for the AL East lead with 28 games remaining. The two games this series have been decided by three total runs. The O's have played a lot of close games lately, with seven of their past 10 decided by one or two runs. They are 4-3 in those contests.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• Agreed to terms on a 2024 Minor League contract with RHP Nick Anderson.

LOS ANGELES – Orioles right-hander Corbin Burnes, who had an ERA of 8.71 his previous four starts, gave up six runs last night as the Orioles lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But just one run was earned over five innings.

Does that make it challenging to evaluate how Burnes pitched?

In the Dodgers third, with the O’s leading 3-1 and one out, an error was charged to third baseman Ramon Urias. They could have had two outs and none on, but the Dodgers went on to score four unearned runs – three on Teoscar Hernández’s 431-foot home run.

The fault of the pitching or the defense? Both to blame?

Said manager Brandon Hyde: “He only gave up that one earned run, the (Shohei) Ohtani homer. Pitched much better than the line. Like I said we didn’t play our cleanest defensively. We had some chances to get out of innings. But we’re not scoring a ton of runs either and helping our guys out.”

LOS ANGELES – With a chance to win this series and ruin Shohei Ohtani and Decoy (his dog) bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium, the Orioles took an early 3-1 in the second inning.

But by the last of third, they trailed 5-3 and were wondering again why right-hander Corbin Burnes suddenly began pitching poorly a few starts ago.

Burnes allowed six runs, just one earned, including Teoscar Hernández’s long three-run homer in the third, as the Dodgers beat the Orioles 6-4 to even this series.

Another sellout crowd was on hand with 53,290 at Dodger Stadium as Los Angeles improved to 79-54 with its 13th win in 18 games. Los Angeles is now 44-24 at home and 10-4 versus American League East clubs.

A win would have moved the Orioles into a first-place tie with the Yankees, who lost again at Washington. But the O’s could not get it, now sitting at 77-57 and one game out.

LOS ANGELES – With a 3-2 win secured in the opener, the Orioles could secure a series victory if they can win tonight at Dodger Stadium.

Ryan O'Hearn hit a solo homer and Ramón Urías added a two-run go-ahead shot. Then the O's pitching made it stand up in a victory Tuesday night in front of the 15th sellout of the year of 52,382 at Los Angeles.

After lefty Cole Irvin allowed five hits and two runs over 4 1/3 innings, the Baltimore bullpen took it from there. Matt Bowman, Cionel Pérez, Yennier Cano and Seranthony Domínguez pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Dodgers hitters went 2-for-16 versus the 'pen, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

The previously struggling bullpen has now pitched scoreless ball in four of the last five O's games with an ERA of 0.98 (two earned runs in 18 1/3 innings) in that span.

The Orioles (77-56) have won three of four and five of nine games. They are trying to get on a late-season roll and Irvin believes they will. 

LOS ANGELES – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, already with a group of 12 on the club's injured list, found out today that infielder Jorge Mateo will not make it back for any of the remaining part of the 2024 season.

Today he had a left elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (Tommy John surgery) with internal brace and flexor repair. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister at Trinity Park Surgery Center in Arlington, Texas. 

“He had successful surgery today. We’re happy about that,” said Hyde. “That everything went really well. Hoping he is back by the regular season next year, but we’re happy the surgery went well.

“He’s a big loss, just like Westy’s (Jordan Westburg) a big loss also. What we lose (with the) speed factor, the defense, the stolen base threat. Everything he does bring. You know, when he’s going well he’s tough to get out and if you don’t get him out he’s going to score because of the threat he is on the bases. Losing Jorgie is a big loss for us.”

Mateo becomes the fifth player on the O's IL list of 12 that will not return this year, joining Félix Bautista, Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells.