Rain falls before Orioles do in 7-2 loss (Lowther joining O's)

The Orioles are recalling pitching prospect Zac Lowther from the alternate training site in Bowie, according to an industry source, and he'll be available in the bullpen for Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Athletics.

Wade LeBlanc, who started tonight, will be designated for assignment to create roster space.

Lowther, who turns 25 on Friday, is the No. 11 prospect in the system, according to MLBPipeline.com, and he's on the verge of making his major league debut. The Orioles selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Xavier University and he's registered a 2.26 ERA and 1.018 WHIP in 326 minor league innings.

Lowther has averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings and fewer than one home run. He projects as a major league starter, but could make his first appearance in relief.

The length of Lowther's stay will be determined later. Dean Kremer is eligible to be recalled on Wednesday.

LeBlanc signed another minor league deal in the offseason after making only six starts last summer and injuring his left elbow. He leaves the organization with a 9.45 ERA in six games.

The Orioles hoped to get Lowther to the majors this summer, though he was expected to make some starts at Triple-A Norfolk. He's never pitched above Double-A, but impressed in spring training and gives the Orioles a fresh arm in the bullpen with the ability to provide length.

Meanwhile, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde expressed confidence in his bullpen's ability to cover tonight's game, and not because of the rain that appeared in the forecast at 8 p.m. and stretched into the morning hours. Cole Sulser was unavailable, but Hyde had a sufficient number of options among the relievers.

Failing to get six outs from LeBlanc might have dialed up the anxiety a smidge, but Hyde was right.

Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells made his first appearance since April 11 and the Orioles fell behind by six runs with the arrival of a light shower. The weather and Athletics made it an uncomfortable night for the Orioles, who lost 7-2 before an announced crowd of 7,616 at Camden Yards.

The bullpen after Wells didn't allow a run or hit in the last 5 1/3 innings, offering more than just coverage. The only baserunners came when Tanner Scott walked the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, causing the grounds crew to dry and rake the mound.

Working back-to-back nights, Shawn Armstrong impressed again by retiring all four batters that he faced. He has four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings in the series.

Hyde kept the baton moving. Adam Plutko retired the side in order in the sixth and Dillon Tate did the same in the seventh and eighth. Tate threw only 19 pitches.

Six of the first 10 batters reached against LeBlanc and the Orioles fell behind 3-0. Their record would tumble to 8-12, including 1-8 at home. The Athletics stretched their winning streak to 13 games.

Jed Lowrie hit a long three-run homer off Wells in the fourth to give Oakland a 7-1 lead.

The first start for LeBlanc since Aug. 23 began with Mark Canha's double to right-center field. Canha tagged on Lowrie's liner to deep right, and the infield shifted and played in against left-handed-hitting Matt Olson, whose popup eluded Rio Ruiz's reach for a 1-0 lead.

LeBlanc threw 22 pitches in the inning, 16 for strikes. The Athletics had three hits, but LeBlanc struck out Stephen Piscotty with a cutter to strand a pair.

The inning could have been worse for the Orioles except Freddy Galvis was able to gather the ball on a force attempt and drag the tip of his spikes across the bag after Ruiz's flip bounced in the dirt. Ramón Laureano followed with a single.

A one-out single, walk and wild pitch in the second inning set up Canha for a two-run single. Wells began to warm. Olson doubled off the left field fence with two outs, the ball eluding a leaping Austin Hays, and LeBlanc was pulled at 48 pitches.

"I thought we didn't help him out in the first inning," Hyde said. "Thought he got five outs there in the first. Give him credit for battling through that first inning only giving up one run with a couple misplays and some bad luck there."

Wells issued a walk and ran the count full to Laureano before getting a called third strike on a 95 mph fastball that the A's center fielder disputed.

LeBlanc, who said he learned of his assignment yesterday afternoon, was charged with four runs and six hits, with one walk, two strikeouts and a wild pitch in 1 2/3 innings.

LeBlanc said he found out about his starting assignment yesterday afternoon.

"Just not being able to get the ball to my glove side, so into righties, away to righties," LeBlanc said while pinpointing his biggest issue. "That's kind of going to be the pitch that opens everything up for me, and unfortunately tonight it wasn't there from pretty much the get-go."

Wells allowed three runs and three hits in two innings, his night ending after an infield single and Maikel Franco throwing error in the fourth. Wells struck out four batters, including Mitch Moreland on a changeup, Piscotty on a 94.4 mph fastball and Matt Chapman on a 93 mph fastball.

"He did a really nice job," Hyde said. "He gave up the homer there, but his stuff in the second inning was real good, his stuff in the third inning was real good, and then the fourth inning just got to him a little bit. And after the homer he got a couple big outs and threw some good stuff again. We've been playing so many close games that trying to find a spot to get him in, just because I want to get him comfortable in the big leagues and we've been pitching well out of the bullpen and really staying in games. Tonight the game got out of hand a little bit early, and that was his opportunity and he picked us up getting some outs."

Chance Sisco was 0-for-14 lifetime against the Athletics and 3-for-23 with one RBI this season before experiencing the rare thrill among Orioles hitters of catching a break.

Sisco's ground ball with two outs in the second deflected off first base and bounded down the right field line to score Pedro Severino, who led off with a double against Chris Bassitt. Sisco also was credited with a double, but tried unsuccessfully to advance to third base on a ball that got past catcher Sean Murphy after Cedric Mullins walked.

Sisco was 0-for-14 lifetime against the A's and 3-for-23 with an RBI this season. He also singled in the ninth.

"Been putting in a lot of work lately, just trying to stay consistent with my work, whether I'm playing that day or not," Sisco said. "Been doing a lot of early work with Don (Long). So nice to see a couple hits fall in there and hopefully keep that going."

The Orioles tried to unwrap their offense in the bottom of the first, getting two-out singles from DJ Stewart and Franco, but Ruiz grounded out with the count full.

Ruiz began the day 8-for-50, with four hits delivered from April 4-7. He was 4-for-30 since that outburst.

A strikeout in the fourth and fly ball in the sixth extended Ruiz's slump.

The rain intensified as Hays and Mullins singled in the fifth and Trey Mancini delivered an RBI double to center field. Two runners in scoring position with one out, but the Orioles couldn't cut further into the lead.