Mayo reaches base twice in debut, Orioles' late rally can't erase early mistakes in 8-4 loss (updated)

CLEVELAND – The Orioles circled their infield tonight with players drafted by the organization, including their catcher, the lone member of the group to play in college. Two-thirds of the outfield also was homegrown.

Five prospects ranked in the top 10 have debuted this season. The present has caught up to the future, and it’s going to take a group effort to make a deep postseason run.

They need to get there first.

Coby Mayo drew two walks in his first major league game and Jackson Holliday was productive at the bottom of the lineup, but the Orioles couldn’t climb out of a seven-run hole and lost to the Guardians 8-4 at Progressive Field.

The Orioles are 65-46 and can’t do any better than a split of the four-game series. They began the night tied with the Yankees for first place and nothing changed.

"Something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life," Mayo said. "I know it wasn’t the exact result I wanted, but I had some really good at-bats, played solid in the field. Obviously wanted to win, but many games left."

Mayo said jogging from the dugout to the field felt "surreal."

"Driving in today, seeing the ballpark, I was like, ‘Gosh, this looks nothing like a minor league park,'" he said. "Just unreal experience. Glad it’s over, getting the first one out of the way, and tomorrow will be a normal day."

The perks of a major league stadium were evident right away.

"Yeah, batter’s eye was a lot better," he said, smiling. "I feel like I was seeing the ball well tonight. I know that I’m going to get heavy off-speed. Ball’s moving away from me, so kind of expected that. You learn every day, at-bat to at-bat, pitch by pitch. As a good major league player, you have to learn and adjust."

Colton Cowser extended his hitting streak to 15 games with an RBI single in a three-run seventh that began with the Orioles down 8-1. 

Mayo worked the count full and walked in the second inning and Holliday did the same to load the bases, but Cowser struck out. The Orioles already led 1-0 after Ryan O’Hearn’s leadoff walk, Adley Rutschman’s single and a force play at second base on Ryan Mountcastle’s grounder.

Rutschman batted fifth for the first time this season. He slashed .132/.258/.224 last month.

Mayo struck out in the fourth inning and drew another full-count walk in the seventh, and he scored on Holliday’s single into left field. Holliday singled off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase with two outs in the ninth for his first multi-hit game in the majors.

“Much better, much better," said manager Brandon Hyde. "A nice little short swing right there off Clase, much shorter to the baseball. Love the way he’s using the whole field.”

Holliday stayed in the lineup after being struck on the left hand last night.

“I’m good,” he said this afternoon. “It got me in a good spot. Didn’t hit me on a bone. Right where I’ve got some muscle.”

Anthony Santander had a sacrifice fly, but the rally came too late.

Facing Clase in the ninth, Mayo again got the count full and swung through a slider. Holliday singled up the middle but Cowser struck out.

“Took a couple walks," manager Brandon Hyde said of Mayo. "Tough assignment there with Clase there in the ninth. But obviously they’re spinning a lot of sliders to him. In one at-bat he did a great job of laying off some borderline down sliders. But took a couple walks, so yeah, a productive night.”

Mayo, the organization’s No. 3 prospect, wasn’t particularly busy at third base. He fielded David Fry’s ground ball in the third inning and threw to second for the force. That was it until the fifth, when he pursued Josh Naylor’s popup down the left field line. Cowser rushed in and slid at the last instant – in part trying to make the catch but also to avoid a collision. The ball fell and Mayo hopped over Cowser to chase it.

Two runs scored and the Orioles trailed 4-1.

“It’s a play we’ve got to make, 2-1 game at that point," Hyde said. "For me, a couple young guys, inexperience. It’s just lack of communication on that play. That ball needs to be caught though.”

"Yeah, it was kind of one of those in between," Mayo said. "I was going back, thought I had a chance over the shoulder, he called it off. He’s been great all year in the outfield. I gave him a good shot at it and it just fell right between us and picked it up and just trying to throw the ball in."

The bat makes loud sounds and the glove is a constant topic of conversation.

“We saw it in spring training. He made huge strides from last year, totally different defensive player,” Hyde said earlier today.

“Worked hard on his defense down in Triple-A. And I just want him to make the routine play here. If he can make the routine play here and add something to us offensively, that’s a huge get for us.”

Guardians starter Carlos Carrasco was removed after only 79 pitches, his last a called third strike on Holliday that again highlighted plate umpire Andy Fletcher’s mobile zone. It came with wheels.

Carrasco held the Orioles to one run and one hit in 4 1/3 innings. He walked four batters and fanned five.

Another time through the order? Why would you remove this guy?

Dean Kremer allowed two runs in the bottom of the second inning on three singles, a bases-loaded walk to Brayan Rocchio and Austin Hedges’ fly ball. He retired nine of 10 but was done after the fifth, when the Guardians scored twice.

The rally began with Steven Kwan’s infield single with one out. Lane Thomas struck out, but Kremer walked José Ramírez and Naylor’s ball wasn’t caught.

Kremer allowed four runs and six hits and came out after 95 pitches.

"I thought Dean threw the ball really well," Hyde said. "He gave up a couple run early. He should have gotten out of that with two runs through five innings. They’re a real scrappy team, puts the ball in play."

Left-hander Gregory Soto made his Orioles debut in the sixth and the first five batters reached on a single, walk, fielder’s choice with the runner safe at third base, RBI single and bases-loaded walk. A fly ball produced the only out recorded by Soto and Hyde brought in Jacob Webb.

Rocchio scored on Ramírez’s sacrifice fly, Steven Kwan was caught in a rundown, and Hedges dived across the plate to beat Mountcastle’s throw. Soto was charged with four runs in one-third of an inning.

This was no way to celebrate Mayo’s debut, or any occasion for that matter.

“He struggled with command a little bit," Hyde said. "Leadoff hit, struggled with command. He hadn’t been out there for a few days and just didn’t look like he had his best command tonight.”

* Craig Kimbrel was given the eighth and stranded two runners after a leadoff single and two-out walk. He threw a wild pitch and Hedges flied to the left field wall.

* The Orioles’ transactions page lists left-hander Cole Irvin as outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. He was designated for assignment Tuesday evening.

Left-hander Matt Krook also was outrighted to Norfolk.

* Catcher Samuel Basallo hit his 14^th home run with Double-A Bowie, and he also collected his 16^th double.