Four home runs can't prevent Orioles from losing fifth straight (updated)

Jordan Westburg’s line drive at 110.5 mph reached the left field corner in the third inning. Gunnar Henderson, who walked with one out, raced around the bases and dived across the plate to break the tie.

The Orioles had their fourth run to match their total over the previous three games. The bats were back. They just needed the pitching to hold up.

It didn’t.

Cole Irvin lasted only four innings, Yennier Cano allowed two runs in the eighth, and the losing streak reached five games with Cleveland’s 10-8 victory before an announced crowd of 18,574 at Camden Yards.

Irvin was charged with four earned runs and eight total, along with a season-high 10 hits, and he came out after 71 pitches. The rotation has gone eight games in a row without a quality start.

"He's thrown the ball so well this year," said catcher James McCann. "Tonight was just one of those nights where we didn't have our best command and they took full advantage of it."

Cano entered after the Orioles had narrowed the lead to 8-7. The losing streak is their longest since they dropped six in a row on May 13-18, 2022.

Henderson hit his 25^th home run and Anthony Santander put a ball on the flag court for his 21st, but the Orioles failed again to win their 50^th game, a total they reached last year on July 5 at Yankee Stadium.

Four homers weren’t enough for the second time in five nights.

"I'm not frustrated with our offense," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We had 16 hits and scored eight runs on these guys. We should win the game. But we just didn't pitch well enough to win."

McCann and Colton Cowser went back-to-back off Logan Allen to begin the bottom of the fourth after the Orioles fell behind 8-4 on José Ramírez’s three-run shot into the bullpen with first base open. Cowser’s 439-foot blast to center, his 10^th homer, forced Allen out of the game.

Cowser is the sixth Oriole to reach double digits in homers. Ryan O’Hearn has nine.

Santander has 12 homers this month to tie the club record for June shared by Boog Powell in 1964, Rafael Palmeiro in 1998, Albert Belle in 2000 and Chris Davis in 2013. Manny Machado is the last Oriole with 12 homers in any month, in 2017.

The starters combined to allow 14 runs (10 earned) and 19 hits in seven-plus innings. The bullpens had their own adventures, though Bryan Baker gave the Orioles two scoreless, Nick Vespi retired the side in order in the seventh and Dillon Tate did the same in the ninth.

The first two Orioles reached in the bottom of the seventh against Cade Smith on Henderson’s infield hit and Westburg’s single. Scott Barlow, who struck out the side in the ninth last night, walked pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn to load the bases. Heston Kjerstad came off the bench and struck out, but Henderson scored on James McCann’s grounder that the Guardians almost turned into a spectacular 5-4-3 double play.

Westburg also singled in the eighth after Santander’s home run and Henderson’s walk. He reached base five times.

Cedric Mullins had a pinch-hit double off Emmanuel Clase in the ninth and was stranded.

Bo Naylor began the night batting .189 but he came within a home run of the cycle. He delivered an RBI triple in the eighth and scored on Gabriel Arias’ bouncer that deflected off Cano’s glove. The Orioles had a play at the plate if the ball gets to Westburg.

Ryan Mountcastle singled in the first inning and Henderson lined a fastball over the center field fence with two outs to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. The ball left his bat at 106.9 mph and extended his on-base streak to 32 games.

Henderson's 25 home runs are second in the majors behind the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who has 29 after tonight's grand slam.

The lead was gone three batters into the second inning. Johnathan Rodriguez singled, Naylor doubled and Arias plated them with a 113.4 mph line drive over left fielder Austin Hays.

The Orioles responded in the bottom half with Jorge Mateo’s leadoff triple and McCann’s game-tying single. Mountcastle doubled with two outs on a 414-foot shot to center field at 109.1 mph, but McCann was thrown out at the plate on a terrific relay and tag.

Westburg’s 16^th double of the season put the Orioles ahead again. And again, the lead wouldn’t last.

Irvin already was bailed out twice. He fell behind 1-0 in the first after retiring the first two batters and surrendering back-to-back doubles to Ramírez and David Fry.

Naylor singled with one out in the fourth, McCann fielded Arias’ bunt and threw the ball into center field, and RBI singles by Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan gave Cleveland a 5-4 lead. Ramírez tattooed a fastball with two outs for his 21^st homer.

"A lot of hard hits," Hyde said. "He was in the zone but looked like it was thigh high in the middle part of the plate. First couple innings were rough, decent third and then some kind of wonky stuff before the home run there. He had control but he didn't have his command tonight. Just way too many balls in the middle part of the plate elevated."

McCann was all over this game. On the throwing error, Mateo’s wrist was bent back on the attempted tag of Naylor. Head athletic trainer Brian Ebel checked on Mateo and he stayed in the game.

"I was thinking the worst there, the way he reacted," Hyde said. "He seems like he's OK."

Hyde had no problem with McCann trying for the out at second instead of the easier one at first.

"That ball's right in front of him," Hyde said. "Good secondary (lead) by their runner. I think if it doesn't go into the runner there a little bit he's out at second base. I think it was the right move to take a shot at second base there."

Asked about the play, McCann said, "The throw wasn't as bad as what it ended up being. It kind of took Jorgie into the runner a little bit. We talked about it. He was fighting to get to the front of the bag. Just the timing of it. If I could do it all over I'd give him a little better throw to handle. In that moment the ball's right in front of home plate, and it's something we're trained to do.

"It's easy hindsight 20-20 to say, 'Let's take the out and have the guy at second,' but in the moment the play's to second base. It's easy to play Monday-morning quarterback and if I take the out at first maybe we get out of the inning without giving up any runs. Unfortunately, that's not what happened. At the end of the day, make a better throw."

Irvin put together a streak of eight consecutive starts with two earned runs or fewer, and his ERA was 2.87 on June 7. He’s allowed 12 earned runs and 17 total in his last three starts over 14 1/3 innings and his ERA has risen to 3.74.

"Just didn't execute pitches, two strikes," Irvin said. "Was thigh high the whole day. The plan against me is I'm going to throw a lot of strikes and stayed up on the zone. (Guardians manager Stephen) Vogt has caught me a couple times in my career, so probably pretty good scouting report on what I'm trying to do. Just was one of those days where I made the adjustment a little too late and couldn't get down in the zone or stay up in the zone. Just kind of stayed thigh line all day.

"I've had a stretch of games here that I'm not happy with."

Grayson Rodriguez will try Wednesday to bring quality back to the rotation and end the losing streak.

"We had rough patches last year and we still won 101 games," McCann said. "The minute you start doubting yourself, the minute you start taking a stretch of five games and making it seem like it's more than that is when it starts to snowball.

"It's frustrating, nobody likes to lose, but at the same time we can't freak out about it."

* The Orioles haven’t made a final decision on Dean Kremer’s next rehab start. Triple-A Norfolk is home this week and Kremer could work on normal rest Thursday or get an extra day.

“We’re still talking about it,” Hyde said.

* Ebel was chosen as one of the athletic trainers for the American League in the All-Star Game in Texas.

Tides infielder Terrin Vavra (left groin strain) began his injury rehab assignment at High-A Aberdeen. He led off, played second base and had a single and walk.

IronBirds pitcher Levi Wells went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

Florida Complex League outfielder Mishael Deson underwent lumbar discectomy surgery yesterday, which was performed by Dr. Thomas Tolli. Deson will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

Samuel Basallo was in Double-A Bowie’s lineup after leaving Sunday’s game for a non-health reason. He singled and hit his 11^th home run.

Norfolk pitcher Corbin Martin went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

Jackson Holliday was reinstated from the IL, served as designated hitter and had a double and two walks. Coby Mayo hit his 15^th home run to tie the score in the eighth.

Chayce McDermott allowed two runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.