Orioles struggle again on mound and with runners in scoring position in Game 2 loss

DETROIT – The bullpen gates swung open and Charlie Morton jogged onto the field, glove tucked under his arm and his routine scrambled. This wasn’t the typical starter’s stroll to the mound to begin warming for the first inning. The 41-year-old Morton was reliving the final game of his rookie season.

Manager Brandon Hyde chose to use Morton in relief after Keegan Akin went 1 2/3 scoreless in Game 2 of the doubleheader against the Tigers. Perhaps a change would do him good.

The results were mixed, which leaves unclear the immediate plans for him. The outcome for the Orioles was bad.

Riley Green hit a three-run homer and Morton walked five batters, but he had better results over 3 2/3 innings with the bar lowered in the Orioles’ 6-2 loss to the Tigers that completed the sweep at Comerica Park.

Today’s results left the Orioles with a 10-16 record, the first time they’ve fallen six games below .500 since July 5, 2022. They’re 1-5 going back to Sunday’s Easter egg hurt.

They went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Game 1 and 1-for-6 in the nightcap with a combined 17 left on base. They’re 6-for-51 with RISP since Sunday. The bats can’t bail out the pitching.

“It’s been tough,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We’re not scoring a ton of runs, we get a lead for a minute today and give it right back. It’s really hard to play behind in a doubleheader. So we’re not cashing in runs. So far this year we’ve had a tough time rotation wise. But I think there are some guys swinging the bat OK. We’ve just got to get a few more things going offensively.

“I think it’s different in every single case. I think some guys are a little passive, some guys are trying to do too much. Some guys are staying on the ball, some guys are not. It’s a little bit of case-by-case basis, and I think if we get a little momentum, which we have not had at all this year, a little bit of momentum where guys are doing good things, they’ll start feeling a little bit better about their at-bats.”

Asked how his team is holding up, Hyde said, “I don’t notice anything different.”

“Guys, they’re frustrated, because you look at our numbers, you look at our individual numbers, a lot of guys aren’t where they want to be,” Hyde said. “Trying to grind and push through it. And I don’t sense any panic, or nobody’s overly snapping or anything like that. Everyone’s getting along fine. We’re losing tough games right now and that can wear on you a little bit. Today was a really, really tough day, and we’ve gotta bounce back and get up early and face (Tarik) Skubal tomorrow.”

Morton was charged with three runs and three hits and he struck out three batters. His ERA dropped from 10.89 to 10.36, but he’s 0-6 in his six games.

Does Morton stay in the rotation?

“I haven’t even gotten there yet,” Hyde said. “Swallowing this tough day.”

Seranthony Domínguez stranded a runner at third base after Zach McKinstry singled with one out in the sixth and advanced on a stolen base and wild pitch. Morton’s line was complete, and it included 80 pitches thrown and only 42 strikes.

“Besides the three-run homer after we scored, I thought he looked a little bit better,” Hyde said. “I thought the curveball was better. Still walked five in 3-plus innings, but I thought he was a little bit more competitive in the strike zone even though he had those walks. Just really gave up that three-run homer.”

Akin was drafted as a starter in 2016 but made the switch to relief, where he excelled last season with a 3.32 ERA and 0.941 WHIP in a career-high 66 appearances. He was used once as an opener in 2022 and 2023, and the Orioles gave him the ball first tonight after announcing Morton as their starter.

The Tigers didn’t reveal their choice until later in the day, when they brought up Keider Montero as the 27^th man. The Orioles weren’t compelled to show their hand.

“Just to give Morton a little bit of a different look,” Hyde said. “He’s been struggling the first five starts and just trying something different. Akin did his job. He threw the ball great.”

Morton said he was told shortly before the game that he’d come out of the ‘pen.

“They gave me an idea that something like that might happen yesterday,” he added.

Akin retired five of six batters, walking Justyn-Henry Malloy with two outs in the first and retiring Spencer Torkelson on a hard liner to left. He struck out his last batter and Morton struck out his first at 97.3 mph, his hardest pitch of the season.

The appearance marked Morton’s second career regular season game in relief, the other with the Braves on Sept. 21, 2008 against the Mets, when he didn’t allow a run or hit over the fifth and sixth innings.

The third inning bit him hard tonight.

Jace Jung led off with a walk, Trey Sweeney singled, Gunnar Henderson ranged up the middle to field Gleyber Torres’ ground ball and flip to second for the force, and Greene walloped the next pitch, a 95.6 mph fastball traveling 398 feet to right field for a 3-1 lead.

Two more walks and a strikeout followed in a 37-pitch inning.

Morton retired the side in order in the fourth on 13 pitches and he struck out Jung on a filthy changeup. He walked the first two batters in the fifth and got a lineout and double play, and Domínguez entered in the sixth after a fly ball and single.

“I was trying to make some adjustments with my arm and my timing and my positioning,” Morton said. “I kind of went through something similar last year. My timing and my stuff was just kind of down. I went on a stretch where I kept getting roughed up, and I had this game against Milwaukee where I gave up like eight runs. I got in there and I just looked at my progression over the past few years. I noticed some timing issues and positioning issues that I was having. I was just trying to feel that again, the good stuff. I did.

“I felt like, especially early, my arm was working pretty well. My lanes, I think, were better, but just the vertical command. I’m spraying high, spraying low, yanking a couple breaking balls. But, yeah, it was just, again with the walks and the command. That second inning, I came in, I go out there for the third, leadoff walk and then a base-hit. I just put myself in a bad spot.”

Dominguez hadn’t been scored upon in his first nine appearances, but Torkelson delivered a two-run double with two outs in the seventh. Jackson Holliday made a diving catch of Greene’s 104.2 mph line drive with two runners on base and no outs and pinch-hitter Kerry Carpenter grounded out before Torkelson gave Detroit a 5-2 lead.  

The rotation is undergoing another change.

The Orioles optioned Game 1 starter Brandon Young and recalled left-hander Grant Wolfram, who allowed six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings with Triple-A Norfolk, made his major league debut tonight at age 28 and let an inherited runner score. Kyle Gibson could be activated and start Wednesday night’s game against the Yankees at Camden Yards.

A fifth starter wouldn’t be needed until May 10 due to multiple days off, if the Orioles want to do any skipping and put a long reliever in their bullpen. They could make that call with Morton to give him a reset.

Holliday had the Orioles’ first hit, a single into right field with one out in the third inning after falling behind 0-2 and fouling off three pitches. Cedric Mullins singled and Holliday scored when Henderson poked a fastball down the left field line at 79.1 mph. Mullins was thrown out at the plate.

Pinch-hitter Ramón Laureano lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth that cut the lead to 3-2. The inning began with an Adley Rutschman single and Ryan O’Hearn walk.

The Orioles continue to hit into some tough luck. Heston Kjerstad and O’Hearn lined to the outfield at 104.8 and 104.2 mph. O’Hearn’s out was in between Rutschman’s walk and Jordan Westburg’s single in the fourth. Westburg had nine hits in a span of 24 at-bats.

A hit batter, walk and single produced nothing in the seventh. The Tigers turned a double play and Rutschman struck out on three pitches.

* Outfielder Tyler O’Neill, placed on the 10-day injured list with neck inflammation, is confident that he’ll be ready to return when eligible.

* The Orioles returned 27^th man Colin Selby to Norfolk.

* Pitcher Chayce McDermott, on the injured list with a lat strain, begins his rehab assignment Sunday with Double-A Chesapeake.

* Pitchers Dylan Coleman and Peter Van Loon moved up from Chesapeake to Norfolk. Van Loon pitched tonight and allowed four runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings.