Three weeks ago, the Orioles went into Yankee Stadium and took two of three from then the best team in the American League. They were riding their highest high of the season, having taken back-to-back series from the Phillies and their AL East rival.
Everything was looking up. But now, as they prepare to face the Yankees again starting Friday, they are riding the opposite swing of the pendulum.
The Orioles have gone 8-11 since then, getting swept twice in that span, first by the Astros and, after Thursday’s 8-0 loss, by the Cubs.
They have just three games before the All-Star break. And, by the way they’ve played this week, it looks as though the time off couldn’t come soon enough.
“We’re a good team; it’s just been a rough few days,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We just got flat out beat and didn’t play well. We got beat by starters, we didn’t do much against their bullpen, we didn’t play very good defense and we didn’t throw the ball very well besides Burnesy [Corbin Burnes] last night. We have to play a lot better.”
Earlier in the series, it was their lack of production with runners in scoring position that got to them. The Orioles had five and nine hits in the first two games against the Cubs but went a combined 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
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On Thursday, they couldn’t even get hits together to dream of an opportunity to drive in a run. Baltimore had just three hits against Cubs starter Justin Steele, who allowed no runs and struck out four in seven innings. Ryan Mountcastle, Jorge Mateo and Anthony Santander were the only three to get on base, all hitting doubles. James McCann added a single against reliever Drew Smyly in the eighth, and Jordan Westburg doubled in the ninth.
“We just had a tough time pushing him out over the plate against right-handers,” Hyde said. “We were getting jammed constantly. Just not very good at-bats. Give him credit. He threw the ball really, really well. We just didn’t do a whole lot of anything this series. We didn’t play well at all in any aspect. We have to play a lot better going forward.”
The Orioles, who are second in MLB in runs scored and first in homers, had just two runs and one home run across the three-game series.
Albert Suárez, an unexpected yet major boost to a rotation that is down three starters to season-ending elbow surgeries, wasn’t his sharpest. He gave up four runs in five innings, his second most in a start. He kept the Cubs to one run through the first four innings but gave up three in the fifth to end his day.
“In the fifth I just thought he left some balls up over the zone, some off-speed stuff,” Hyde said.
Still, his value outweighs the mediocre outing. A minor league signing who hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2017, Suárez has filled both relief and starting roles for the Orioles, providing important depth in the aftermath of those injuries. He has 11 scoreless appearances, including five shutout starts.
“I always think positive. I like to stay positive,” Suárez said. “I think back and think this has been a positive first half. Just stay positive and keep working hard for the second half.”
