Better bullpen needed to begin beating teams

A rested bullpen didn't provide a solution for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who failed again Wednesday night to unearth a late-inning combination that could protect the slimmest of leads.

Hyde used only three relievers over the previous two games. Dan Straily ate four innings Monday after following starter Gabriel Ynoa, and Dylan Bundy worked through the seventh the following night. Two ways for a club to avoid taxing its 'pen.

So what did Hyde get for it? Another blown save on Wednesday, with home runs surrendered in the eighth and ninth innings. Another tough loss, with a rebuilding plan unable to lessen the frustration.

Wins don't matter this year? Try telling that to Hyde and his players.

Mychal Givens has three blown saves and two losses over 10 days and his ERA has grown from 2.75 on May 17 to 5.70. He's given up four home runs in that span.

Hyde has the right idea about easing Givens back into the closer's role by placing him in lower-leverage situations. It's done all the time. But bringing him back out for the eighth inning in a 2-1 game put him in that same environment, except it wasn't the ninth.

I get the reasoning. He rolled through the seventh with two strikeouts and only 14 pitches. And Richard Bleier was getting ready to replace him after a batter or two. But there's also something to be said for leaving on a high note. Take your 1-2-3 inning and pat on the butt and feel better about life.

That's probably how it's going to play out the next time Givens gets the ball. But the decision is made easier if Hyde can get outs behind Givens.

"I'm just trying who's available," Hyde said. "We're just having a tough time getting through the last couple of innings. Looking for guys to step up and pitch in big spots.

"I'm just trying to give us the best matchup possible, and our numbers aren't real good out of the 'pen. It's who's available. We usually meet before the game and talk during the game about how we see it play out. Our numbers aren't real good out of the 'pen, so it's kind of a tough deal on a night-to-night basis.

"For the first two months of the season, I wanted to give the ball to Mike somehow. Now I wanted him to take a step back and give someone else an opportunity, try to get him back to being Mychal Givens again."

In the meantime, the pitching staff's 5.70 ERA was the worst in the majors yesterday, and the 1.47 WHIP ranked 28th. The bullpen's 5.98 ERA was second-worst behind the Nationals' 7.23. A heavy workload is a major contributor, with the 221 1/3 innings ranking sixth.

What are the options down below?

They could bring back Evan Phillips, who retired all four batters faced yesterday with three strikeouts, after he's down for the 10-day minimum. They could consider non-roster left-hander Sean Gilmartin, who's allowed 10 earned runs in 27 innings and surrendered only one homer. Non-roster right-hander Matt Wotherspoon has a 3.82 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 30 2/3 innings, getting on a nice roll before permitting four earned runs and seven hits over 2 1/3 in his last outing at Gwinnett.

The Orioles keep left-hander Tanner Scott on the shuttle, but he has a 5.11 ERA with eight walks in 12 1/3 innings with the Tides. Jimmy Yacabonis has allowed eight runs and walked nine batters in 13 1/3 innings. Chris Lee surrendered eight runs and nine hits yesterday in 2 2/3 innings, including three home runs, to leave him with a 6.07 ERA.

These aren't proven veteran relievers with lengthy track records, which is why executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias must be checking the waiver wire for relievers as well as starters.

We've already bemoaned the lack of starter options. Left-hander Josh Rogers could be in the Orioles rotation except for a 9.41 ERA and 1.75 WHIP in nine starts, with 46 earned runs (47 total) and 70 hits in 44 innings. Luis Ortiz has a 7.26 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in nine starts, with 32 earned runs (36 total) and 50 hits in 39 2/3.

Ortiz really needs to dial it up because he isn't a lock to stay on the 40-man roster. He worked hard in the off-season to lose weight and he reported to camp in much better condition, but he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in five innings to become an easy cut, and the 2019 season so far has been a dud.

Non-roster pitcher Luis Ysla made another start yesterday for the Tides, allowed four runs with four walks and eight strikeouts in five innings and left with his ERA at 5.24.

The Orioles begin a three-game series tonight against the Giants, who haven't visited Camden Yards since June 12-13, 2004. A rainout produced a doubleheader on the 12th and the Orioles averted a sweep with a 12-inning walk-off win.

Larry Bigbie's bases-loaded single with two outs scored Melvin Mora after the Giants ordered an intentional walk to Rafael Palmeiro, who began the game on the bench while Jose Leon played first base.

Robert Machado was behind the plate for the Orioles. Anyone remember him?

John Parrish earned the win as the fifth reliever used, a group that included Eddy Rodriguez, who's now appeared twice in this blog this month.

The teams played 11 innings in the opener. The Giants scored four runs off Jorge Julio in the top of the 11th and the Orioles countered with one in the bottom half. Palmeiro homered twice, his solo shot tying the game in the eighth.

Barry Bonds homered again the following day and Sidney Ponson allowed six runs and 13 hits in 6 2/3 innings to raise his ERA to 6.60. The leash was pretty long after all the bullpen usage in the doubleheader.

The Orioles took two of three games in San Francisco in 2016.

Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski finally makes it to Camden Yards as a member of the Giants, who acquired him on March 23 for pitcher Tyler Herb. He's 4-for-18 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored and seven strikeouts.

Herb has a combined 6.45 ERA and 1.836 WHIP in nine games with Norfolk and Double-A Bowie.