O's offense falls flat in walk-off loss (Povich to start tomorrow)

TORONTO – The O's came into Wednesday night looking for their third straight win in Toronto, and a series-clinching win. The script was set just for that, as they took an early 2-0 lead, but the offense fell flat after the second inning and the Blue Jays walked off the O's to win 3-2 in front of 27,929 at Rogers Centre.

The Orioles fall to 39-21 with their third walkoff defeat of the year after two very early on April 6 and 7 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tonight's walk-off was aided by a miscue in the field.

Justin Turner led off the ninth against O's closer Craig Kimbrel with his third hit of the night, a single on an 0-2 pitch and was replaced by pinch-runner Cavan Biggio.  

The miscue followed shortly after. Kimbrel tried to pick off Biggio, but his throw went off his body and into right field, allowing Biggio to get into scoring position. Then he moved to third, advancing on an Alejandro Kirk fly-out. 

Runner on third, one out, and now the winning run was 90 feet away as the infield came in. Kimbrel then faced the contact-oriented Isiah Kiner-Falefa. 

Kimbrel got ahead 0-1 with a first pitch knuckle-curve, and then followed with a high 96-mile-per-hour fastball. He couldn't get the heater past Kiner-Falefa, who drilled one to deep right. It one-hopped the wall to hand the O's a 3-2 loss. 

The O's are now 13-5 versus the AL East and lost for just the third time in 13 games. The New York Yankees (44-19) beat Minnesota, so the O's fall 3.5 games out of the division lead.

The Orioles only managed two runs and six hits. They had scored 17 runs in the first two games of this four-game series and 75 their previous 12 games, and had a 2-0 lead in the top of the second tonight.

Anthony Santander hit another homer, a solo shot to right to lead off the frame versus right-hander José Berríos, who entered 10-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 15 career starts against the Orioles. Santander hit a 1-2 slurve that was below the zone 106.4 mph over the wall in right for his 12^th this season. The blast went 436 feet and was his third homer in five games and fifth in his past 12. It was the Orioles' eighth homer in the first 20 innings of this series.

Santander now has 17 home runs in 72 career games against Toronto – his most versus any club.

With two outs, Cedric Mullins walked and stole his 12^th base. He scored from there on a Ramon Urias RBI double to right for the 2-0 lead. Urias drove a ball 102.5 mph to add to the O’s lead, giving him eight hits his last 16 at-bats.

But after the Blue Jays made some loud contact in the first inning off O’s starter, righty Albert Suárez, but failed to score in the first for the 27^th straight game, they tied it 2-2 in the home second.

George Springer walked to start the inning and moved to third on Justin Turner’s double. One run scored a line drive sac fly to center by Kirk and Kiner-Falefa’s groundball single to center scored Turner for the 2-2 tie.

After the early offense, the pitchers settled in and both put up zeros into the sixth. That inning both teams had a big scoring chance but neither did score.

In the O’s sixth against Berríos, Ryan O’Hearn singled and Santander walked. But Jordan Westburg flied out and Kyle Stowers grounded to short.

Right-handed reliever Jacob Webb replaced Suárez to start the home sixth. The first batter he faced, Bo Bichette, smoked a double to left and Alejandro Kirk lined a single to right with two outs, but hit it too hard to score Bichette. That proved big when Webb fanned Kiner-Falefa on a beautiful right-on-right changeup.

After Webb, Danny Coulombe and Yennier Cano followed with scoreless innings of their own. The three combined for four strikeouts over three innings. 

But the game ended via a walk-off loss and the throwing error made that an unearned run.

Povich to debut: After the game O's manager Brandon Hyde announced that lefty Cade Povich will start tomorrow making his MLB debut. Over 11 starts for Triple-A Norfolk, Povich is 5-1 with a 3.18 ERA. He pitched to an ERA of 1.03 in five April starts. He is ranked as the Orioles' No. 8 prospect by Baseball America and No. 9 by MLBPipeline.com.

Hyde on Kimbrel being scored on after eight straight scoreless: “He gave up a single and two fly balls. Just the pickoff error obviously hurt.”

Hyde on a slow night of offense: “They have some good bullpen arms. We see (Tim) Mayza all the time and he’s tough on left-handers especially. Haven’t seen Chad Green in a while but remember him with the Yankees and he threw the ball really well. Then Yimi García might be the best reliever in the game right now the way he is throwing the baseball. We just had a tough time on offense the last few innings. Quick turnaround and go get ‘em tomorrow.”

Hyde on Povich on Thursday: “Yeah, he’ll make his debut and we’re excited to watch him.”

Hyde's pregame comment on Povich: “He threw the ball great for us in spring. I thought it was huge strides from the year before. It’s great stuff. It’s all about command and strikes with him and that is something we talked about when we sent him out at the end of camp. Just really wanted him to minimize walks and try to get hitters out early in the count. Because the stuff really plays. He’s done that in Triple-A. The walks are way down and the fastball command has been better. So we’re excited about him."

Kimbrel on the pickoff error being critical: “I think it was more frustrating really (than the hits allowed). I mean obviously with the leadoff hit. They put a runner out there trying to steal, or at least in my mind I thought they would try to at some point during that at-bat. I thought if I got a good pick over there, we’ve have an opportunity to pick him off. I yanked it, threw the ball away. Made it kind of a lot easier on them with hitting two balls in the outfield and winning the game.”

Suárez on settling down after the early runs: “I think I was falling behind in the count and that allowed them to be comfortable at home plate and I think once I started getting ahead I was able to execute better.”

Suárez, did you feel like you could pitch the sixth if allowed?: “Mentally I always grind it out until they say no. That is my way of thinking. Every time I am out there I am thinking about going back out.”