Impressive Povich start can't prevent another loss (updated)

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was asked before tonight’s game whether rookie Cade Povich could stay in the rotation or perhaps move to the bullpen.

“I think we’ve got 40 games to go, and it’s 40 of day-to-day right now,” Hyde said. “Just kind of never know. And we’ve got rosters expanding. A lot of things can happen.”

A quick return to Triple-A Norfolk also was possible, or more like probable with no plans for a six-man setup. How much of the decision was really in the rookie’s hands?

The left one gave the Orioles lots to ponder.

Recalled earlier today to make his ninth major league start, Povich retired 15 of the first 17 batters and carried a shutout into the sixth inning before allowing a run. He lasted a career-high 6 1/3 in the Orioles’ 5-1 loss to the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 38,921 at Camden Yards.

The Orioles (72-52) were no-hit by Brayan Bello until Gunnar Henderson’s game-tying home run with two outs in the sixth. They had drawn three walks.

No. 32 for Henderson came on the first pitch and was his third in the last four games. The ball eluded the glove of leaping right fielder Rob Refsnyder and bounced off the roof of the grounds crew shed.

Povich had allowed one run and six hits with no walks and six strikeouts and left to a standing ovation after Triston Casas singled. Pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida doubled off Yennier Cano and Jarren Duran delivered a two-run single with two outs to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead.

One of those runs was charged to Povich, who threw 89 pitches before his exit.

“Overall mindset coming into this," he said of his biggest gain. "Just trying to give the team a chance. I think just going down, working on some things, and coming up here and executing that. Definitely something to build off.

"I think just attacking the zone with everything, getting ahead early. Probably one of my best games as far as up here or in Triple-A as far as first-pitch strikes. When you’re able to execute early on it definitely helps out a lot.”

The mindset created an alter-ego that Povich shared with the group at his locker.

“I think the other games were Cade, and I went down and talked to some people (about) mental stuff," he explained. "Some of the guys down here call me ‘Slim,’ so I kind of took that attitude into this game, different mindset, different person, someone that’s just going to be aggressive and attack early as long as they're in the game.”  

The bullpen was shorthanded with Bryan Baker optioned. Burch Smith appeared in a third consecutive game and surrendered a 425-foot, two-run homer to Rafael Devers in the eighth. He’s been scored upon on back-to-back nights and in four of his last six appearances.

"We’re down a couple runs there," Hyde said. "Devers is in the middle of a righty pocket, and kind of where we landed at that point."

The same team that collected 10 runs and 17 hits last night was held to one run and five hits and left eight men on base. Duran made a leaping catch at the center field fence to rob pinch-hitter Eloy Jiménez of his first Orioles home run.

Povich waited 76 minutes to throw his first pitch because of the rain. He warmed to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and had the crowd feelin’ all right by retiring 14 of 15 batters.

Romy Gonzalez singled with two outs in the second and Casas’ fly ball pressed Ryan O’Hearn’s back against the right field fence.

The efficiency was most impressive. Povich had an eight-pitch first inning with seven strikes, was at 28 pitches with 22 strikes after the third and 39 with 30 through the fourth. His three strikeouts came on a sweeper, changeup and fastball, and he began the fifth by fanning Danny Jensen with a curveball and Gonzalez with his fastball.

Casas lined a single into right field with two outs and Henderson made a backhand stop and throw across his body to retire Connor Wong.

Povich, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the system’s No 5 prospect, entered with a 6.27 ERA and 1.688 WHIP. He tossed six scoreless innings against the Braves in his second game but also experienced the lows with eight runs in an inning-plus in Oakland. The Orioles called him up as the 27^th man in the July 29 doubleheader against the Blue Jays and he allowed three earned runs and six total in 4 1/3.

What was different tonight?

"Just a little bit of everything," Hyde said. "I thought he had a really good changeup. I thought he was ultra-aggressive in the strike zone. It was great to see him throw multiple pitches for strikes and really attacking them. That was awesome to see. Bello pitched great, (Povich) pitched great. It was great to see the command from Cade tonight and how he attacked hitters."

Ceddanne Rafaela singled to lead off the sixth and O’Hearn raced into right-center field to rob Duran with a sliding catch. Refsnyder bounced a single into left and Tyler O’Neill’s bloop to center gave Boston a 1-0 lead.

Bello made four career starts against the Orioles before tonight and allowed 10 earned runs and 12 total in 20 2/3 innings. He walked two batters in the second and retired Ramón Urías on a ground ball. They didn’t pose a real threat against him until Henderson’s homer, followed by an O’Hearn single.

Jackson Holliday had four hits last night and he greeted left-hander Brennan Bernardino, last night’s opener, with a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh. Ramón Urías reached on an infield single with one out, Lucas Sims entered and pinch-hitter Adley Rutschman flied to the warning track in right. Colton Cowser walked on his T-shirt night to load the bases, but Anthony Santander grounded out.

The loss stung, since it kept the Yankees a game ahead in the division race and drew the Twins within 1 1/2 of the Orioles for the first wild card, but Povich was an important story. The organization’s top pitching prospect behaved like it.

The crowd rose and began to cheer Povich before Hyde reached the mound. The rookie tied his career high in strikeouts to start the inning, Casas singled and the deejay cued up Billy Joel again.

It was long past 9 o’clock on a Saturday. The final score didn’t have them feelin’ all right, but the kid provided a thrill.

“It was super cool," he said. "Obviously been up and down, had some struggles up here overall with the last few starts, so having another opportunity to come up here and coming into the seventh and then leaving. That crowd, I had the chills coming off a little bit. Still kind of in game mode, but I guess a little bit trying to fight off a smile. It was special.”

* Norfolk’s Daniel Johnson hit his 18^th home run, a three-run shot. Terrin Vavra had a two-run single.

Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann was used as an opener and allowed two runs in the first inning.

Double-A Bowie’s Patrick Reilly, acquired from the Pirates at the deadline for Triple-A outfielder Billy Cook, allowed four runs and three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Ryan Long followed and allowed one earned run and two total in 5 1/3.

Dylan Beavers had three hits and an RBI. Tavian Josenberger stole his first four bases with the Baysox.

High-A Aberdeen’s Edgar Portes tossed four scoreless innings and struck out eight batters. Jake Cunningham had three hits and an RBI.

Single-A Delmarva’s Ethan Anderson has back-to-back three-hit games.