BALTIMORE–What happened? After winning six of seven and climbing to within seven games under .500, the Orioles stumbled into the All-Star break with their second straight flat performance.
Former Oriole Kyle Stowers hit three home runs and drove in six runs in the Miami Marlins’ 11-1 win over the Orioles before 17,759 at Camden Yards on Sunday.
Stowers, who was traded along with infielder Connor Norby to the Marlins for starter Trevor Rogers last July 30th, homered in the second, third and fifth innings. His last two home runs were two-run homers. He singled in the seventh and eighth for his first five-hit day. Stowers’ eighth-inning single scored the Marlins’ ninth run.
It was an impressive way for Stowers, who’s Miami’s representative in the All-Star Game, to end the first half.
“I’m very grateful for the support I’ve had here,” Stowers said. “Again, that’s not to say I didn’t have that in Baltimore, because I certainly did. Just, fun to do it with these guys.
“They’ve been really rooting for me and Connor this series, as we all have for various people who have played against former teams. Like I said, I’ve got a lot of love for the Orioles’ organization, but it definitely felt really good to have a game like that against them.”
It was a horrible way for the Orioles (43-52) to finish the first half. After a one-hour, 38-minute rain delay, Ryan O’Hearn, the American League’s starting designated hitter, was presented with his All-Star jersey by his wife, Hannah.
O’Hearn was hitless in two at-bats, as the Orioles had just five hits and were badly beaten. for the second straight time by the Marlins (44-51). Miami won Saturday’s game 6-0.
In the first two innings Sunday, three baserunners were thrown out. Jackson Holliday led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball by catcher Nick Fortes. But he was thrown out at second after wandering too far off the base when Gunnar Henderson grounded back to starter Eury Pérez (3-2).
Henderson was thrown out trying to steal second, and Ramón Laureano was out attempting to steal third after a double in the second inning.
Cedric Mullins’ sixth-inning single was the only other hit off Pérez, who threw seven scoreless innings.
Laureano hit his 11th home run leading off the eighth.
Oriole starter Brandon Young (0-4) allowed seven runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Besides Stowers’ three home runs, Otto Lopez followed Stowers’ second home run.
The Marlins scored three runs off Yennier Cano in the eighth.
“Disappointing. I think today we knew it was going to be an absolute battle against Eury Pérez, just kind of, you look at where his numbers were at coming into this,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said.
“Just not putting up any points yesterday, and then getting in a scoreless situation in the eighth and getting things kind of matched up how we want and not making it through that. So I think you combine the two days and it’s just not a good way to finish.”
Norby was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with left wrist inflammation, retroactive to Saturday.
Oriole relief pitcher Scott Blewett was placed on the 15-day injured list just before the game with right elbow discomfort. That left the Orioles a pitcher short in the bullpen since they had designated Corbin Martin for assignment.
“He came in this morning after the DFA of Martin and he had some elbow soreness, so it’s enough to get the thing checked out,” Mansolino said. “ “We put him in the tube, get an MRI of it. But it was enough that we were going to IL him regardless of what the results were. Unfortunate timing in terms of coming after the Martin DFA.”
How did Young throw? Young’s ERA rose to 7.52, and it came after he allowed one run on two hits in five innings against the New York Mets on Tuesday night, including an immaculate inning in which he struck out the side on nine pitches.
“Pitches I’d like back. I made a lot of mistakes today,” Young said. “Very disappointed. That’s on me. I’ve just got to do better than that. Made a lot of mistakes.”
Stowers is a difficult hitter, Young said.
“He is, but I just made bad pitches at bad times, and he made me pay for it,” he said. “It’s very frustrating, especially coming at the All-Star break, trying to get off … having good vibes for the break. It’s disappointing to say the least.”
How difficult has the first half been? Jordan Westburg is hoping the second half will be far better for him and the Orioles.
“It’s disappointing. We wanted to win that series and go into the half on a high note.” Westburg said. “But it’s by us. [O’Hearn is] going to go represent us in the All-Star Game. The rest of us are going to have a three-day break to mentally check out, which is huge, and kind of hit a reset button, hopefully, coming into the second half.”
Westburg said the Orioles are determined to have a better second half.
“For the team, it’s disappointing,” he said. “I don’t think anybody going into the season thought we were going to be in the situation we are now. But it is what it is. It doesn’t help to dwell on that. So I think for us in the clubhouse, we’re going to take these three days to reset, we’re going to cheer O on during the break and then come back with some energy, with some vengeance maybe, and hopefully turn some things around.”
What does it mean? The Orioles have made it nearly impossible to avoid a sell-off with their horrid play the last two games against Miami.
What’s the stat of the day? The Orioles didn’t walk in Sunday’s game, ending their streak of 172 games with a walk, longest in the majors since San Francisco’s 204-game stretch from July 6th, 2002-August 22nd, 2003
What’s the word? “Honestly, I feel like we’ve played really good baseball the last month. We’ve had one of the better teams over the last month. I think the record probably indicates that. We’re very capable of playing good baseball. How it changes? Who knows? Things can happen fast.”-Westburg on hoping the Orioles improve in the second half.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Zach Eflin allowed two runs on five hits in four innings in his first rehab start for Double-A Chesapeake. Eflin, who’s on the 15-day injured list with a lower back injury, struck out two, walked one and allowed a home run, throwing 58 pitches. The Baysox lost to Reading, 5-3.
Cade Povich pitched three perfect innings, striking out two in a rehab start for High-A Aberdeen. Povich, who’s on the injured list with left hip inflammation, threw 30 pitches in the IronBirds’ 8-3 win over Jersey Shore. Leftfielder Thomas Sosa hit a three-run home run.
Samuel Basallo hit his 19th home run and drove in four runs as Triple-A Norfolk beat Jacksonville, 7-2.
Centerfielder Raylin Ramos drove in three runs as Single-A Delmarva beat Fayetteville, 8-3.
The minor leagues are also on break until Friday.
What’s next? The Orioles resume play on Friday at Tampa Bay. Charlie Morton (5-7, 5.18) will start for the Orioles at 7:35 p.m.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com