NEW YORK — The Orioles put themselves in one jam too many.
After orchestrating several narrow escapes from danger while clinging to a one-run lead for most of the game, Bryan Baker allowed three runs in the eighth as the Orioles (33-43) lost to the Yankees 4-2 on Sunday to drop their series in the Bronx.
With an overworked bullpen in need of a break, Dean Kremer became just the second Orioles starter in their past 11 games to pitch into the sixth inning. He allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings, racking up seven strikeouts and at one point retiring seven in a row.
The Orioles grabbed an early lead off Yankees starter Will Warren in the first. Their first four batters all reached base, though one was erased when Jackson Holliday was picked off at second, and they capitalized with RBIs on a Ryan O’Hearn single and Colton Cowser double.
However, that would be the only offense the Orioles would muster for the rest of the afternoon. Warren settled in to pitch 6 1/3 frames and he gave up only three hits, two of which were courtesy of Dylan Carlson, the rest of the way.
As good as the Yankees’ pitching was, the Orioles’ staff nearly outdueled them. New York scored its only run of the first seven frames in the second on a scary play at the plate. A wide throw from Cowser forced Maverick Handley to come up the third base line to catch the ball and tag Jazz Chisholm Jr., but they collided and the ball popped free to allow the run to score.
Handley left the game with a trainer and Gary Sánchez took over behind the plate.
Kremer gave way to Keegan Akin for the final out of the sixth with Chisholm up and two runners in scoring position. The left-hander escaped the jam by getting the third baseman to fly out to right field. It was the first of several sticky situations the Orioles’ bullpen had to navigate.
The Yankees put two runners aboard again in the seventh, this time with Aaron Judge at the plate. Seranthony Domínguez and Judge battled for eight pitches before the right-hander snuck a hanging splitter past the superstar slugger for the third out.
But Baker couldn’t follow suit. Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton both singled to put runners on the corners for Chisholm, who this time cashed in on the opportunity with a double into the right-center field gap. The outing ended a six-game scoreless streak for Baker, who had usurped the recently demoted Yennier Cano as the Orioles’ primary setup man.
DJ LeMahieu, who drove in Chisholm earlier, brought him home again on a fielder’s choice. He hit a groundball to Gunnar Henderson with the infield in and the shortstop’s throw bounced in and out of Sánchez’s glove to allow the run to score.
After being one-hit by New York on Saturday, the Orioles had their chances to score. But they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base, finishing the series with a fizzle after winning the opener Friday in impressive fashion.
Instant analysis
If anyone needs a break after this weekend, it’s Sánchez.
The Orioles played three games in 41 hours and Sánchez caught all but one inning in the series. He replaced Adley Rutschman in the opener Friday night after the latter was scratched with the oblique injury that sent him to the injured list, started their day game Saturday and took over for the injured Handley in the second inning Sunday.
Mansolino downplayed the possibility of Baltimore calling up top catching prospect Samuel Basallo when Rutschman went down and it’s unlikely that changes even if Handley is forced to miss time, especially considering Basallo still played in Triple-A Norfolk’s game as scheduled after Handley got hurt. David Bañuelos, on the club’s taxi squad, and Chadwick Tromp in Triple-A are the most likely candidates should another backstop be needed.
But with the Orioles returning to Baltimore to kick off a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Monday, they need somebody to start behind the plate and give Sánchez a break.
On deck
After dropping two of three in New York to finish off a 3-4 road trip, the Orioles head back to Camden Yards for one more series before finally getting their first day off in 16 days.
Trevor Rogers and Charlie Morton are scheduled to pitch the first two games against Texas but the Orioles have yet to announce who will start the finale Wednesday. Tomoyuki Sugano would be on normal rest, though he’s struggled with a 6.39 ERA over his past three outings.
This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich.
