For O's recently, a hot streak and consistent clean play never seems to come

The Orioles keep looking to get on a hot streak, playing solid and clean baseball. Given a chance to do that Wednesday afternoon, win a series and bring some momentum back to Camden Yards, they failed to. 

It was a brutal series loss at Citi Field with two walk-off losses, both with Seranthony Domínguez on the mound. Just when it looked like he might be the team’s ninth-inning option, this happens.

It appeared the team had some serious positive momentum when Austin Slater hit a two-run homer to right to tie the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth. It was his first O’s homer and his second of the season.

But even with that swing, a lot went wrong shortly after that on the way to the Orioles’ 54^th loss of the year.

They were held to three hits for the second time in the last four days. They actually won with three hits Sunday, but now they are 1-9 this year when getting three hits or less.

They failed to turn two double plays and the first one cost them a run.

Down 3-2 in the eighth, the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs on an infield single and two walks. One was gift as Ramón Urías was awarded first on what was clearly strike three. But the O’s top of the order could not produce the big hit to get the lead. They tied it on a sac fly but needed to do better given that big chance.

So, the O’s continue in their .500-ish mode. They are 4-4 the last eight games, 6-6 the past 12 and 16-16 since the All-Star break.

If you go back to June 12, the O’s were working on a six-game win streak and were at 45-22 (.672). That was a 109-win pace for over two months.

But since June 13 they have played under .500 for over two months, going 29-32 (.475) the last 61 games. A team playing at that pace would win 77 games.

In that stretch, the offense has been about the same it has been all year, scoring 4.9 runs per game with an OPS of .775. But the O’s team ERA is 4.92 is this span where they have blown six saves, allowed 79 homers and with a .762 OPS against.

The bad news is that is a long stretch of sub .500 baseball. The good news is that no team is running away with anything – in the AL East or throughout baseball.

The O’s have time to get hot and get rolling or at least start playing better. But with each passing day it seems tougher and more challenging to do.

With Wednesday’s loss, the Orioles are now 16-21 against National League teams. They are 0-4-1 their past five series against NL clubs, going 4-10 in those games. Not good enough, said Captain Obvious.

Honeycutt to debut with Delmarva: MASNSports.com was first to report yesterday that the O’s 2024 No. 1 draft pick, University of North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt, is joining the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds. He is expected to debut tonight when the Shorebirds play at Down East.

Honeycutt has been ranked as the club’s No. 4 prospect by MLBPipeline.com and No. 7 by Baseball America.

The Orioles signed him Aug 1. Honeycutt signed a $4 million dollar bonus. The listed slot amount for the No. 22 overall pick was $3,802,200.

A center fielder for the Tarheels, and right-handed batter, Honeycutt hit .318/.410/.714 with 13 doubles, two triples, 28 homers, 70 RBIs and with an OPS of 1.124 over 62 games in his junior season. The homer total was a single-season school record. An outstanding defender, he also was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year two straight years, a first in the conference.

“Super exciting day," said Honeycutt, 21, on the day he signed. "Super exciting last couple of weeks. You know, just kind of felt like part of your journey, a chapter is kind of closing, and you start a new chapter. Just trusting the process, trust representation. It’s been great.

“Have heard nothing but great things about their player development in those guys that came through the system. So super exciting to have an opportunity to be able to do that. Looking forward to getting going."

For Honeycutt it all starts tonight.