Jannis makes major league debut in 13-0 loss (updated)

The countdown to Mickey Jannis' major league debut began tonight in the top of the second inning. He began warming in the fourth after Dillon Tate sat down. He walked through the gate in the fifth and into a chapter of his professional life that didn't seem plausible.

Jannis finally pitched in a major league game, his small but vocal cheering section unleashed in front of the press box. The run he allowed in the sixth seemed inconsequential based on the score and his journey. Then came four more in the seventh, including two long home runs, and a solo shot in the eighth.

Soft pitches can bring some hard lessons. But at least they came in Baltimore.

The Orioles already trailed by six when starter Thomas Eshelman left the game and they lost to the Astros 13-0 before an announced crowd of 10,013 at Camden Yards.

The sweep left the Orioles 23-51 with their 13th loss in 14 games. They were outscored 26-3 in the series. The Astros are 46-28 and winners of 10 in a row and 18 of 23.

They seem legit.

Eshelman allowed six runs and eight hits in four innings, the last blow José Altuve's two-run homer to left field in the fourth. Jannis was charged with seven runs, the last scoring after Tate replaced him, and eight hits in 3 1/3 with four walks and a strikeout.

"I think I just needed to have the mentality of attacking with my fastball early on. I think I went to my stuff a little bit too quick there," Eshelman said on his Zoom call.

"I stuck with my game plan throughout the game and they spoiled some good pitches and put some good swings on some balls that were in the zone, so I think that's something for me to work on."

The pitch tracker wasn't registering knuckleballs, instead posting curveballs, changeups and sliders. More comical was the site of umpires checking Jannis for sticky substances every time he headed back to the dugout.

Jannis struck out his first batter, Yordan Alvarez, on a pitch with a spin rate of 149.

Nothing sticky going on here.

Jannis, the third-oldest rookie in Orioles history at 33 years and 189 days, walked Kyle Tucker with two outs in the fifth and Austin Wynns threw him out trying to steal. Martín Maldonado singled with two outs in the sixth, Altuve walked and Michael Brantley singled for a 7-0 lead.

Revenge came for Alvarez in the seventh after he fell behind 0-2 and hit a 448-foot home run to right-center field. He supplied all the power.

"I thought he had a good first inning and then it looks like they were kind of all over him after a good first," manager Brandon Hyde said on his Zoom call. "Couple homers, just like the knuckle was staying up in the zone a little bit too long."

The first five batters reached in the inning. Carlos Correa doubled, Kyle Tucker walked and Abraham Toro hit a three-run homer. Myles Straw walked and Jannis retired the next three batters with the score 11-0.

It became 12-0 in the eighth when Chas McCormick replaced Alvarez and homered. Tate inherited two runners in scoring position with one out and Toro's infield hit plated Robel Garcia.

"Obviously, it wasn't dancing as much," Wynns said of the knuckler. "Jannis went out there and tried to pitch and they hit it.

"He is a professional, he's paid his dues, he went out there and competed, and that's all you can ask from a guy like him. He went up there and sometimes balls dance and sometimes it wasn't. You know what? That's what he does. Think about it. What do knuckleballers do? I'm happy for him, man. I'm happy he's here and he'll have a better outing next time."

"It's awesome," Eshelman said. "The dedication he has to the game and the grind, for him to get an opportunity up here, it speaks volumes, and his character and his perseverance. I was happy to see him get an opportunity up here."

Astros starter José Urquidy blanked the Orioles on three hits over seven innings. They loaded the bases against reliever Brandon Bielak with no outs in the eighth, after Hyde began to clear his bench, and didn't score.

Wynns played first base in the ninth inning for the first time in the majors.

Eshelman wasn't going to stay long after throwing 32 pitches in the first inning and 29 in the second. He retired the first two batters in each inning and ran into trouble, a common occurrence of late with the Orioles.

Yuli Gurriel singled in the first, Alvarez walked and Correra followed with a two-run double on a 1-2 pitch. Tucker, reinstated today from the injured list, watched his fly ball drop inside the left field line for a 3-0 lead.

Tucker's ball came with an expected batting average of .010 per Statcast. DJ Stewart made a long run for it and could only retrieve.

Two fly balls to center field in the second were followed by singles from Altuve, Brantley and Gurriel for a 4-0 lead. Stewart charged Gurriel's fly ball in shallow left and didn't get a glove on it.

Making his first career start against the team that drafted him in the second round in 2015, Eshelman retired the side in order in the third inning on only six pitches. Because baseball really is weird.

Eleven pitches were thrown in the fourth to leave Eshelman at 78, but Straw reached on a bunt single and Altuve launched an 86 mph sinker.

"These guys take really good at-bats," Hyde said. "They're pros, they don't swing at pitches out of the zone and they start rallies and then they capitalize. They had a couple balls drop in the outfield on us. Took good at-bats with two outs off Tom and he had a tough time finishing these good hitters, and the homer.

"He just had a tough time with two outs there in the first two innings."

Eshelman is in the rotation because Bruce Zimmermann went on the injured list with left biceps tendinitis. He'd start again on Monday in Houston if the rotation stays intact.

Urquidy held the Orioles to one hit through five innings. Cedric Mullins led off the first with a double and didn't get past third base.

Maikel Franco walked with one out in the second, but Stewart struck out and Pat Valaika lined to right field.

The Orioles didn't have another hit until Wynns led off the sixth with a single. Urquidy had retired 15 of 16 after Mullins' double.

Anthony Santander singled in the seventh for the Orioles' third hit of the night. He, too, was stranded.

Eight Orioles have made their major league debuts, including six pitchers. Jannis is the 41st player to appear in a game this season.