What happened: Orioles manager Brandon Hyde tried a different approach with struggling starter Charlie Morton on Saturday night. He had left-hander Keegan Akin open the game before bringing in Morton with two outs in the second. Morton struck out Tigers catcher Tomás Nido on a 97-mph fastball.
That was a highlight. Morton continued to struggle with his command, walking five in 3 2/3 innings, and gave up a three-run homer to Riley Greene as Detroit completed a sweep of the Orioles, winning the second game, 6-2. The Tigers won the opener of a split doubleheader, 4-3.
“Just to give Morton a little bit of a different look,” Hyde told the media in Detroit. “He’s been struggling the first five starts and just trying something different. Akin did his job. He threw the ball great.”
Hyde is trying to bring the 10-16 Orioles out of a funk that is threatening their season. They were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position after going 1-for-8 in the first game. They’re 6-for-51 since Sunday with runners in scoring position and have lost five of six.
“It’s been tough,” Hyde said. “We’re not scoring a ton of runs, we get a lead for a minute today and give it right back. It’s really hard to play behind in a doubleheader. So we’re not cashing in runs. So far this year we’ve had a tough time rotation wise. But I think there are some guys swinging the bat OK. We’ve just got to get a few more things going offensively.
“I think it’s different in every single case. I think some guys are a little passive, some guys are trying to do too much. Some guys are staying on the ball, some guys are not. It’s a little bit of case-by-case basis, and I think if we get a little momentum, which we have not had at all this year, a little bit of momentum where guys are doing good things, they’ll start feeling a little bit better about their at-bats.”
The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the third, but it might have been a bigger inning. After base hits by Jackson Holliday and Cedric Mullins, Gunnar Henderson hit a line drive past third base that stopped against the wall in foul territory. Holliday scored, but Mullins was thrown out at the plate when leftfielder Zach McKinstry picked up the ball and, in one motion, made a one-hop throw to Nido, who tagged out Mullins.
In the bottom of the third, Greene hit his three-run homer, and the Orioles were unable to catch up. They nearly did in the sixth, but McKinstry made another big play. With Adley Rutschman on third and Ryan O’Hearn on second and one out, Ramón Laureano hit a drive to left that McKinstry ran down near the line. Rutschman scored, but that was it for the Orioles.
Is frustration beginning to show? In the fourth, O’Hearn hit a drive to left-center after Rutschman had walked to open the inning. Greene made an excellent running catch, reaching high to glove the ball. O’Hearn slammed his helmet in the dugout. In the fifth, Henderson hit a fly ball to left and slammed his bat at the plate.
“Guys, they’re frustrated, because you look at our numbers, you look at our individual numbers, a lot of guys aren’t where they want to be,” Hyde said. “Trying to grind and push through it. And I don’t sense any panic, or nobody’s overly snapping or anything like that. Everyone’s getting along fine. We’re losing tough games right now and that can wear on you a little bit. Today was a really, really tough day, and we’ve got to bounce back and get up early and face [Cy Young winner Tarik] Skubal tomorrow.”
What will Morton’s role be? The 41-year-old Morton is in his 18th season, and this was the second time he was used in relief. He was charged with three runs and is 0-6.
“Besides the three-run homer after we scored, I thought he looked a little bit better,” Hyde said. “I thought the curveball was better. Still walked five in 3-plus innings, but I thought he was a little bit more competitive in the strike zone even though he had those walks. Just really gave up that three-run homer.”
Asked if Morton would remain in the starting rotation, Hyde said: “I haven’t even gotten there yet. Swallowing this tough day.”
What about the defense? Rutschman and Holliday made outstanding plays.
Seranthony Dominguez was struggling with his command after taking over for Morton in the seventh. He threw a wild pitch that bounced away from Rutschman. McKinstry was running on the pitch and made it all the way to third. Dominguez threw another pitch in the dirt that Rutschman blocked, but the ball also caught his right hand. It saved a run, keeping the score at 3-2. Rutschman got treatment on the hand between innings but stayed in the game.
In the seventh, Greene hit a smash to the left of Holliday with runners on first and second. Holliday made a diving catch, but the Tigers eventually scored three more runs — on doubles by Spencer Torkelson and McKinstry — to put the game away.
What does it mean? When asked how his players are dealing with the adversity, Hyde said: “I don’t notice anything different.” On Saturday, the Tigers looked like the better and more confident team in both games.
Stat of the day: 0-6. Morton is the second Oriole pitcher to lose in his first six appearances of the season. The other was Mike Boddicker in 1988, when the Orioles started 0-21.
What’s next? Dean Kremer (2-3) will face Tarik Skubal (2-2) at Detroit’s Comerica Park on Sunday at 1:40 p.m.
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