BALTIMORE–What happened? There was little the Orioles could do against last year’s unanimous Cy Young Award winner, Tarik Skubal. Interim manager Tony Mansolino tried Keegan Akin as the opener and kept Dean Kremer in the bullpen until the second inning.
Mansolino tried Jordan Westburg as the leadoff hitter, and didn’t include either Cedric Mullins or Ryan O’Hearn in the starting lineup against the left-handed Skubal.
Akin didn’t allow a run in the first inning, and Kremer gave up four in the fourth while Skubal shut out for the Orioles on three hits in seven innings in the Orioles’ 4-1 loss to the Tigers before 18,800 at Oriole Park on Thursday night.
Skubal (7-2) struck out six and walked Coby Mayo in the second and Ramón Laureano in the seventh. It was Skubal’s first game with multiple walks since April 3rd. He threw a season-high 98 pitches — his last, a strikeout of Mayo, hitting 98 mph.
“I think maybe after the game, you understand why the hitters didn’t score eight today,” Mansolino said. “I think that’s fair. I think none of us really want to stand in the box against him. It’s probably why we’re sitting in this room right now. But no, when you go in the game, I think the way you’re beating that guy, it’s a walk, it’s a double, it’s a three-run home or something along those lines.
“You’ve got to get guys on base, right? And the guys battled, punched out only six times against probably the best pitcher in baseball right now. I think you kind of take some solace in that.”
In 12 starts since April 8th, Skubal has struck out 101 and walked five. His ERA is 1.99. In his last four starts, he’s allowed just one run in 30 2/3 innings for an 0.29 ERA.
The Orioles (27-40) have lost consecutive series after a six-game winning streak.
Westburg’s first-inning drive to right, which Kerry Carpenter leaped for and caught, was as close as the Orioles came to scoring.
Gunnar Henderson singled with two outs in the first, and Dylan Carlson singled in the second and fifth.
Kremer (5-7) had one bad inning and allowed four runs on five hits in seven innings. Dillon Dingler hit his seventh home run with one out in the fourth. After singles by Zach McKinstry and Javier Báez, Parker Meadows hit a three-run home run, his first, to give Detroit (45-25) a 4-0 lead.
After Meadows’ home run, Kremer retired 11 straight. He struck out eighth and walked two, throwing 105 pitches, the most he’s thrown this season.
Carlson hit his second home run against Tommy Kahnle, leading off the eighth. Will Vest retired the Orioles in order in the ninth for his 12th save.
Did the Orioles have a chance against Skubal? Laureano is 2-for-17 against Skubal after grounding out twice on weak contact and walking. He thinks Skubal’s the best pitcher in baseball.
“You can think all you want and approach, but you’ve got to go out there with the mindset of competing your [butt] off, so that’s it,” Laureano said. “Just not be a hero and try to do too much. Just try to hit and swing at what he gives you and just not do too much, really.”
How did Kremer throw? Mansolino was pleased that he was able to get seven innings from Kremer, the third time he’s thrown that many this season.
Kremer had just the one bad inning, the fourth.
“The split was up,” Mansolino said. “He just couldn’t get the thing down and he got himself into trouble that one inning. And I think when we see Dean not have his best outings, it probably revolves around one bad inning, and he’ll probably tell you the same thing. But you think about what he did, we’re in the middle of 16 in a row right here and he takes us all the way to the ninth.”
It wasn’t an awful night for Kremer, whose splitter was excellent after the fourth.
“Felt good. I executed pretty much for the most part,” Kremer said. “I got beat on a couple balls, and that was the story of the game there.”
Kremer said he was game-planning with the pitching coaches between innings and didn’t watch Skubal throw.
“I [couldn’t] care less who I’m facing on the other side of the mound,” he said. “All I care about is who’s in the lineup that night and try to take care of business and keep us in the game no matter who’s throwing.”
What does it mean? The Orioles are 12-12 under Mansolino and hope for better this weekend against the Angels, whom they beat two of three last month in Anaheim.
What’s the stat of the day? Akin has thrown 3 2/3 scoreless innings in three appearances as an opener.
What’s the word? “You go down 4-0 to Skubal, it kind of feels like 8-0.”-Mansolino on facing Skubal.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Third baseman Fernando Peguero’s three-run home run in the 10th inning gave Triple-A Norfolk an 8-7 win over Nashville. Catcher Samuel Basallo hit his 14th home run.
Adam Retzbach and Noelberth Romero homered in Double-A Chesapeake’s 4-3 loss to Harrisburg.
Sebastian Gongora allowed one hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings as High A Aberdeen beat Jersey Shore, 4-1. Three relievers combined for 3 2/3 hitless innings.
Single-A Delmarva was held to two hits a 3-2 loss to Salem.
What’s next? Charlie Morton (2-7, 6.59) will start against Jack Kochanowicz (3-7, 5.61) when the Orioles play the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at 7:05. The game will be shown exclusively on AppleTV+.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com