Leftovers for breakfast

While Triple-A Norfolk moves past its first-half title in the International League and keeps posting prospect-studded lineups, outfielder Kyle Stowers is in Sarasota rehabbing an injury to his right shoulder.

The Orioles optioned Stowers for a second time on May 15, after he was hitless in his last 21 at-bats. He’s 2-for-30 in 14 games, with three walks and 12 strikeouts.

Stowers’ last game with Norfolk was May 21. He hasn’t played in more than a month after being shut down with inflammation in his shoulder.

The second stop with the Tides lasted five games, with Stowers going 3-for-18. Work done with hitting coach Brink Ambler was put on hold, for much longer than the seven-day IL period.

“Part of it was he was just trying to get back to what he has done really well. Controlling the strike zone, making sure he’s able to take care of fastballs, things like that,” Ambler said.

“He had a good feel for what he wanted to accomplish and was training really hard, and the injury setback was obviously a bummer. We’re thinking good thoughts for him and hoping that he’ll be able to get back to it soon.”

* Gunnar Henderson led off last night, stayed in the box after left fielder Jarred Kelenic dropped his fly ball in foul territory, and drew a walk.

A double play followed, but the significance of the walk carries back to Wednesday’s game against the Rays at Tropicana Field, the fifth time that the Orioles failed to get one. And the fifth time they lost when it happened.

Per STATS, the Orioles were tied with the Athletics and Angels for most losses without a win after having zero walks in a game.

They began last night 14-10 when drawing one or two walks, 18-10 with three or four, and 13-3 with five or more. They received one against Mariners pitching. Got it out of the way early.

What did we learn here? That there’s a cost for not getting a free pass. You pay a price for it.

Henderson's 32nd walk of the season, third among AL rookies and fourth in the majors, didn't matter last night, but still ...

* More from STATS:

Seattle’s Teoscar Hernández entered last night’s game with 21 hits off sliders, the most in the American League and third in the majors. Teammate Ty France and the Orioles’ Austin Hays were tied for fourth with 20.

Hernández singled on a sinker, homered on a fastball and had an RBI single on a changeup. Hays grounded a 97.9 mph fastball up the middle for a single in his first at-bat.

Hays was batting .400 against fastballs before the game, the fourth-highest average in the majors with a minimum 75 plate appearances.

There isn’t much that Hays hasn’t handled while posting a .323 average to lead the American League.

“He has had an incredible first half – offensive, defensively, just what he brings every day for us,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“I love the way he’s using the whole field. He hits with power. He’s got speed. He’s gotten some big RBI hits for us. And to play left field defense here is not easy and he’s done it the best way he possibly can. A lot of us kind of knew that if this guy got a chance to play healthy for a while, he can put up some big numbers and be a really good player, and he’s done that his first year.”

Last night began with Orioles second basemen batting .227/.280/.363 and shortstops batting .217/.265/.370. Adam Frazier went 0-for-2 before Joey Ortiz pinch-hit for him in a blowout, and Jorge Mateo went 0-for-3, lining out to third baseman Eugenio Suárez at 103.5 mph in the sixth inning.

Hyde praised Mateo’s defense at short and used it as a reason why the lack of offense since April hasn’t led to more bench time.

“If we don’t play well up the middle, we’re going to have problems,” Hays said, “and Jorgie has really played outstanding shortstop defense for us once again this year.”

* Which leads to a note that The Athletic’s Jayson Stark shared yesterday from Sports Info Solutions that rated the Orioles at plus-eight Defensive Runs Saved at second base and shortstop.

They were second in the division behind the Rays’ plus-16.

Frazier didn’t commit an error last night, but he showed his frustration after failing to backhand Kolten Wong’s ground ball in the second that could have produced a double pay.

* Also from Stark: No team has shown better pitch-clock discipline than the Orioles.

Their hitters have been called for only one violation, the fewest in the majors. Hays was responsible on Opening Day.