Twins complete sweep with 4-3 win over Orioles (updated)

Dylan Bundy was saddled with two unearned runs today in the top of the first inning, a unique spin on the Orioles' 2019 story.

Home runs weren't included in the opening chapter. Baseballs that kept flying into the seats were more inclined to elude a glove.

Bundy turned in a quality start by definition to close out the series against the Twins, with two earned runs allowed in six innings, but he never got a lead and the Orioles lost 4-3 to complete the sweep at Camden Yards before an announced crowd of 11,018.

The Orioles are 8-15 overall and 1-9 at home. The White Sox are next for a three-game set that begins Monday night.

An economical 10-pitch fifth inning enabled Bundy to come back out for the sixth, the bullpen staying quiet as he turned in his longest start of the season. He completed five innings in his last two outings.

The pitching staff didn't surrender a home run for only the second time in 23 games, holding the season total at 57.

Dwight Smith Jr. lined a two-out, two-run single into center field off Kyle Gibson in the bottom of the third to reduce the lead to 3-2 after Jonathan Villar reached on a fielder's choice and Trey Mancini singled.

Smith has 15 RBIs to rank second on the club behind Renato Núñez (16), just as everyone predicted back in March.

Bundy fell behind two batters into his start and the normally reliable Smith played a crucial role with a three-base error on Jorge Polanco's fly ball to shallow left field. Smith appeared to lose it in the sun and Willians Astudillo followed with a double.

Twenty pitches were thrown in the inning. Bundy registering back-to-back strikeouts with his fastball and curveball before C.J. Cron singled to extend the inning and the lead.

Smith also misplayed Byron Buxton's line drive leading off the fourth, taking a step in before breaking back and reaching up late. Buxton was credited with a double and moved up on two fly balls, his blazing speed enabling him to take third on a medium fly ball to center fielder Joey Rickard, whose momentum was carrying toward right.

The mixed defensive bag for Smith included a diving catch in the second inning to rob Ehire Adrianza after racing toward the line and laying out for the ball. A gem sandwiched between two plays he'd like to have back.

Smith came out of the game after the sixth, with Rickard moving to left field and Cedric Mullins taking over in center. Smith experienced some tightness in his right quadriceps muscle while running to first base on a strikeout, the ball getting away momentarily from Astudillo.

Eleven consecutive Orioles were retired before Hanser Alberto led off the eighth with a single off reliever Trevor May. Alberto moved to third after Villar concluded a 10-pitch at-bat with a roller into right field.

Trevor Hildenberger entered the game and struck out Mancini. Smith's spot in the order came up, now occupied by Mullins, who grounded out after Villar swiped second. The runners held, Núñez walked to load the bases and Rio Ruiz bounced to the mound while trying to check his swing.

The Orioles put runners on the corners with one out in the ninth against Taylor Rogers. Alberto struck out on three pitches, but Villar lined an RBI double to left field to reduce the lead to 4-3. Mancini received an intentional walk and Pedro Severino, pinch-hitting for Mullins, ran the count to 3-0 and took a strike on a pitch that appeared a hair outside before flying to right.

Bundy was down 3-0 in the third after hitting Nelson Cruz and allowing one-out singles to Cron and Jake Cave.

The fourth inning concluded with Bundy at 71 pitches after getting a called third strike on Cruz with his slider. He also registered strikeouts with his fastball and changeup in the first.

Two grounders and a fly ball in the fifth and Bundy was back in the dugout at 81 pitches. He stranded Adrianza in the sixth after a one-out single, using his curveball to induce a popup from Polanco on his 95th pitch.

Bundy allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts. He had surrendered seven home runs over his last three starts.

Andrew Cashner had the last quality start for the Orioles with six scoreless innings on April 2 in Toronto.

Evan Phillips tossed two scoreless innings despite allowing a hit and walking two batters, and Mychal Givens stranded a runner in the ninth.

Update: Today marked the first time since July 14, 2018 versus the Rangers that a home run wasn't hit at Camden Yards.

Smith said no MRIs are scheduled on his right leg. It's similar to the issue he had last Sunday in Boston when manager Brandon Hyde scratched him from the lineup.

Hyde on Bundy: "Bundy was good. He gave us six really good innings. Kept us in the game. I liked the way he pitched to both sides of the plate. Pitched well against a good lineup."

Hyde on Smith: "He came up with a sore quad, some quad tightness during the game. It was on the strikeout when he sprinted first base and his quad got tight on him."

Hyde on whether Smith could play Monday: "I think we're still waiting to see. I would assume he's not going to be able to play, probably, tomorrow. But we'll see, probably, how long he's going to be out."

Hyde again on Bundy: "Tough to lose that game, but the positives are that Dylan went six innings and threw the ball well through six. I thought he was actually getting stronger as the game was going on, did a really nice job. Evan Phillips gave us a couple of really good innings after it, and Givens. We did a nice job on the mound. We were just a run short. We had opportunities in the eighth, didn't cash in, and put together a nice rally in the ninth inning. It just didn't happen."

Hyde on poor record at home: "I don't think it has anything to do with the ballpark or being here. I just think we've played better on the road so far this year for whatever reason. I'm hoping that turns. I'm hoping we start playing better here. But I think that's more coincidence. I don't think it has anything to do with being here. That's a good Minnesota Twins team. Real good team, playoff-caliber team. And I thought we played well two games against them, just came up short in a couple games. Last night we were not good, but two of the three games we were right there. We were just a hit away from being 2-1 instead of 0-3."

Hyde on what Smith means to team: "Just great ABs. I think I've said it a lot. Really good at-bats. Drives in our first two runs with a big knock up the middle, almost goes deep to center field. Really good ABs in Tampa off some left-handers, too, so I like Dwight's approach at the plate. He lost that ball in the sun in the first, and then makes a great play to the line after that. He's been playing really good baseball. He brings a professional presence in the box when the game starts, and I just love his at-bats and the way he uses the whole field. He's got kind of some sneaky power. He's just a really good player."

Hyde on competitive team: "I think you've seen that we are in ... besides last night, it's been a couple hiccups, but the majority of games off a team that is ... I'm proud of how we play. I think that we are getting everything we have out of our guys and we're going to continue to try to get better every single day. We're playing against some great clubs that have high expectations, that expect to play in October, and we're going toe to toe with those guys almost on a nightly basis, so I'm really happy with our effort. I love our work, I like how we compete at the plate, I think we're going to get better on the mound. You'd like to see us win more games, but I think there have been a lot of positives that have come out of the first few weeks."

Hyde on whether Smith injury same as last Sunday: "I think it was a different part of the leg. I don't know if it's connected or not, but this is a quad. I'm hoping it just stiffened up on him a little bit and he'll be back shortly, but I don't know that as of right now."

Bundy on start: "It was a little bit better. Wish I had done a little bit better there in the first inning there, trying to limit them to just one run instead of two. Just kind of had to battle today to keep their offense from scoring too many runs there."

Bundy on saving bullpen: "That was a big thing I wanted to do was last as long as I could and give the bullpen a little bit of a break, last six or seven innings for them. Anytime you play three games in the last 24 hours it's pretty tough on the bullpen and the position players. So just try to keep the tempo up and last as long as possible."

Bundy on no home runs allowed: "I don't really care too much about all the homers. You give up a solo shot, that's fine. That's three runs less than four, so ... Yeah, just trying to limit the damage the best I could and get outs as quick as possible."

Bundy on whether he did anything different: "I'd say just a little bit more fastball command and using all my pitches to both hitters, left-handed and right."

Smith on injury: "I felt better after getting treatment. I felt fine until I ran down first on down the line. I've been dealing with it the last week, week and a half. I've been playing through it."

Smith on whether fatigue is a factor: "No, my body feels fine. I think it's mainly just a cramp. It just tightened up on my quad like a spasm. That's the main thing I think it is.

"I'll see how I feel tomorrow. Honestly, the way I feel I probably could play tomorrow."

Smith on frustration of not being able to bat late: "Yeah definitely. Close game like that, you never want to come out. Today it was absolutely the right thing to do. Don't want to push it and make things worse, but I definitely want to be there for all nine."

Smith on performance last few weeks: "I just play my game, wherever I'm at in the lineup, whether I'm third, second. It doesn't matter where I'm at. Usually, I'm one (of nine) and everybody else has got to get on and do their part."