Domínguez surrenders another walk-off homer in 4-3 loss (updated)

NEW YORK – What to do with the rotation is a major issue for the Orioles that yielded for a spell this afternoon to a slightly bigger concern.

Would they get a hit?

Would they put a runner on base?

Mets starter Sean Manaea retired the first 17 batters before nailing Jackson Holliday with a 94.7 mph fastball. Manaea tried a first-pitch sinker to Austin Slater, who homered to right field to tie the game.

The worrying spun back to another area, a bullpen that’s unsettled and can’t earn complete trust. Peaceful stretches aren’t permissible in 2024. Stress lurks around every corner.

Craig Kimbrel retired both batters faced last night to complete the win, but he surrendered a home run today to Matt Vientos with one out in the seventh inning that gave the Mets a lead. The Orioles tied the score in the eighth before pinch-hitter Jesse Winker homered off Seranthony Domínguez leading off the ninth for a 4-3 victory before an announced crowd of 32,871 at Citi Field.

The Orioles (74-54) fell back into a first-place tie with the Yankees, who play tonight. They've suffered five walk-off losses this season.

"It stinks," Slater said. "At this point in the season every game matters. But you know, the effort today was good from the guys and you can’t ask for anything more than that."

Cionel Pérez put two runners on base with two outs in the eighth and Domínguez struck out pinch-hitter Francisco Alvarez, who smacked a walk-off homer against him Monday. Pérez and Domínguez were working for the third time in four days.

Domínguez has served up homers in three straight appearances. Winker got him today with the count full to set off another celebration.

“We’ve got to give these guys ... we’re going to continue to throw them out there," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Whoever’s on the roster. We’ve got eight guys in our ‘pen and trying to find some guys to get hot for us."

Kimbrel has been scored upon in seven of his last 12 appearances. He threw only seven pitches yesterday and Hyde used him again. Dillon Tate stayed one day and was optioned to leave the bullpen shorthanded unless left-hander Trevor Rogers was a consideration.

“I don’t have a set closer," Hyde said. "Searching for outs from whenever the starter comes out to the end of the game. Searching for outs.”

In all the wrong places again lately.

Manaea was removed after Colton Cowser led off the eighth with an infield hit. José Buttó walked the next two batters to load the bases and fanned pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn, who barked at plate umpire Marvin Hudson about an earlier strike call and was ejected. Adley Rutschman’s fly ball tied the game 3-3.

Strike zones can’t earn full trust, either.

“With our pitching the way it is right now we’ve got to be able to score some runs," Hyde said. "We had an opportunity there in the eighth, we had bases loaded, no outs, we had the right guy up and only scored one run. We’ve got to be able to score some runs. It’s a grind right now on the mound, so until we get through this thing, we’ve got to be able to help them out and score some runs.”

Cole Irvin lasted 4 1/3 innings in his return to the Orioles and was charged with two runs and five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. An inherited runner scored against Colin Selby.

"Yeah, it was good," Irvin said of rejoining the club. "First five ups and first time getting in the fifth inning for a little bit. So it was nice to get up. I wanted to finish that fifth inning, but things aren't going to work out the way you want to and I think I was on a little bit of a pitch limit there. Still working back as a starter so, yeah, I’m just trying to give the team the best effort.

"It was nice to be back and see everyone, a lot of smiles and a lot of joy and, yeah, just so much to smile about in terms of how my day went."

Manaea made two career starts against the Orioles before today and allowed 10 runs and 13 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out the side in the third inning, including Urías on 10 pitches. José Iglesias fielded Eloy Jiménez’s bouncer behind second base and threw him out to end the fifth.

Holliday was hit and Slater followed with his first Orioles home run.

"It’s just a unique angle," Hyde said of Manaea. "He’s tall, across his body, kind of Chris Sale’s slot, and he’s throwing a ton of strikes. We just had a tough time getting hits against him.”

"We definitely knew what was going on," Slater said. "Sean had his best stuff today and he pitched really, really well. Hats off to him. Luckily we were able to get something going there in the sixth and, you know, a little too late for us, probably. Not enough for us. Definitely hurts.

"After the first time through he started putting a little more behind his fastball and he’s really attacking up in the zone. I thought beside his changeup he was mixing really well with the sweeper and the heater. He’s got a really tough angle with his arm slot and his velo, so he’s a pitcher, if you haven’t seen before, he can be really tough."

Slater hit atop the order in all three games of the series against left-handed starters. He had two hits last night.

"I think it helps, it definitely helps," he said. "It’s a role that I’m accustomed to. When you can go through a stretch like this and try to figure out your timing and rhythm, it definitely helps when you are scuffling a little bit. But you know I’m ready to do whatever role they ask. The platoon lefty role is something I’m comfortable with and I’ve done in the past, but it’s nice to sometimes get a streak of lefties in a row to get your rhythm in a row."

Francisco Lindor gave the Mets a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the third inning. Irvin stranded a runner in the fourth but hit Harrison Bader leading off the fifth and Vientos singled with one out.

Selby replaced Irvin and J.D. Martinez grounded to Urías, who threw to Holliday for the force. Holliday tried to turn the double play but lost his grip on the ball as the run scored.

Corbin Burnes would have gone on regular rest today but was pushed back again to Thursday’s series opener against the Astros at Camden Yards. Rookie Cade Povich, recalled yesterday, is starting Friday night, followed by Albert Suárez and TBA – a spot that belongs to Rogers if staying in turn.

Irvin made sense today because he hadn’t pitched in a week and spared the Orioles from using an opener and the risk of burning out the bullpen.

The Orioles could employ a six-man rotation by keeping Irvin and Povich, but they haven’t revealed any plans beyond Saturday.

“We’re trying to get through today’s game,” Hyde said this morning, “and then we’ll see how we go.”

Irvin hadn’t pitched in the majors since his three relief innings on July 29. He was designated for assignment three days later within the flurry of post-deadline moves and cleared waivers. His last start was June 30, completing a three-game stretch with 14 earned runs allowed and 18 total in 12 1/3 innings.

The days in Norfolk were "just a lot of kind of self-reflection, refocusing, understanding for me that God's got a plan for me and respecting that and trusting that and knowing that there have been battles that I have been fighting all season, mentally, internally," Irvin said.

"First half was fantastic. Second half has been really rough and so there's a lot of really good things to take away from my work the past three weeks. The DFA to the two outings, been doing a lot of good work and just really happy to just be healthy and back here with the guys.”

The waiver process and outright were handled about as well as possible.

“We’ve got a lot of good arms," he said. "We’ve got a lot of good guys in this ballclub. Because of that trade deadline, to be in the mix is awesome. I love these guys. I’ll go to the ends of the earth for every guy in this clubhouse. Just happy to pitch again. Take the joy of being here, the situation, the moves, you can’t control that.

"For me, was it a shock? Sure, but at the end of the day I wasn’t pitching well at the time and I had gone three innings, gave up a homer, and I was going to be down for a couple of days. The situation, the way it was handled, gave me time to reset, to refocus and get back to what I do really well, throw strikes and command the zone and move the ball in and out and have some fun.”

Irvin also said he altered his workout and conditioning routines.

"Actually, pretty much change the whole tenor, got back to what I like to do, what I do well, what I was doing in the beginning of the (first) half," he said. "I think, plain and simple, just got a little lazy. And again, it takes some self-reflection, some honesty to recognize those things. That’s not going to happen again. I was kind of riding off a really good first half and was really happy with my performance then, so now I’ll just keep going forward, keep plugging away, just enjoy.”

Lindor led off the first inning with an infield single and Irvin struck out the next two batters. Pete Alonso drew a leadoff walk in the second inning and Slater threw him out at third base on Starling Marte’s single. Luis Torrens walked with two outs and Harrison Bader grounded into a force.

Hyde removed Irvin at 83 pitches. What’s next for the left-hander isn’t known.

What's next for the club won't be good if it can't settle the 'pen and get more out of the bats.

"I think sometimes it’s slow starts and it kind of just piles up and it’s hard to get a rhythm in the dugout," Slater said. "Sometimes it’s just seeing a pitcher that’s on his best stuff. That happens for an offense, I don’t think we’re too concerned about it. This offense is too talented to have too many more games like that."

* The Orioles claimed infielder Emmanuel Rivera on waivers from the Marlins and designated Terrin Vavra for assignment. The Marlins designated Rivera to make room for former Orioles second baseman Connor Norby.

Rivera hasn’t reported to the club. He provides a right-handed bat and could supplant Liván Soto, who hasn’t appeared in a game. But there’s less defensive versatility with Rivera primarily a corner infielder.

Rivera, 28, batted .214/.294/.269 in 96 games with the Marlins. He’s a career .239/.302/.354 hitter in four major league seasons, including stints with the Royals and Diamondbacks. He was on Arizona’s playoff roster last fall.

Vavra has been slowed by injuries in his career. He made the Opening Day roster in 2023 and has hit .254/.331/.304 in 67 major league games.

Vavra appeared in 44 games with Triple-A Norfolk and batted .243/.350/.368 with four doubles, three triples and three home runs.