Means goes 5 1/3, bullpen implodes in 9-4 loss (updated)

Wilson Ramos shot a ground ball between shortstop and third base this afternoon and John Means turned away in disgust. Burned again by location.

Not within the strike zone, but on the field.

Between those hits was a two-run, opposite-field homer from Michael Conforto, who reached for a fastball and watched it carry as Ryan Mountcastle drifted back for it.

Means wasn't shelled. It was more like shocked.

Set free of the stricter pitch counts that accompanied his previous starts, Means worked a season-high 5 1/3 innings and showed signs of further progress. But his final offering was a changeup that Pete Alonso deposited into the second deck in left field.

Also a location issue because it doesn't often serve as a landing spot for home runs.

Means came out of the game after a season-high 81 pitches and the Orioles settled for a split, their bullpen unable to keep it close in a 9-4 loss to the Mets at Camden Yards.

The Orioles are 16-20 overall and 7-14 at home. And they'll need the off-day Thursday as a recovery period for Renato Núñez, who ran slowly up the line on a ground ball in the fifth inning and was replaced by Dilson Herrera in the seventh.

Alonso became only the fifth player to reach the second deck, joining Rex Hudler, Mark Reynolds, Manny Machado and Edwin Encarnación, who was the most recent on June 20, 2017.

Means allowed four runs and eight hits with one walk and only one strikeout.

The changeup was better, Means said, besides the one to Alonzo.

"The fastball command was horrible," he said. "That was the worst fastball command I think I've ever had. But other than that, my body feels good and I'm confident I can fix the fastball command. It's never been an issue for me and I don't see it being an issue for long.

"I don't like losing, I don't like getting hit, and that's what's been happening. I'm just trying the best I can to get back to feeling good, feeling right, and I'm confident that I can get there."

Former closer Cole Sulser replaced Travis Lakins Sr. with one out in the seventh, and Conforto doubled to increase the lead to 5-2.

Left-handers were 1-for-30 against Sulser before the at-bat. Robinson Canó didn't care, either. He doubled in the eighth and pinch-runner Andrés Giménez scored on Jake Marisnick's single. Jeff McNeil doubled on a ground ball that deflected off Pat Valaika's glove and the Mets led 7-2.

Sulser was charged with a third run (unearned) in 1 1/3 innings on Pedro Severino's passed ball with Evan Phillips on the mound, and a fourth on Conforto's single that scored McNeil. Conforto had five RBIs.

Severino had his first career triple in the second inning, with Marisnick running full-throttle into the center field fence and leaving a sweat stain on the padding as the ball rolled away. Mountcastle singled to cut the lead to 2-1.

Valaika followed his four-hit night with a single and Andrew Velazquez walked to load the bases with two outs. Michael Wacha received a mound visit, got ahead of Cedric Mullins 0-2 and nailed him with a fastball to force in the tying run.

Probably wasn't part of the mound conversation.

J.D. Davis reached on an infield hit to lead off the top of the third, but Means used a double play and popup to keep the score tied. His luck slowly was changing.

A leadoff walk to No. 9 hitter Amed Rosario in the fifth came back to hurt Means, who retired the next two batters and surrendered Conforto's double off the center field fence. The relay throw from Velazquez was slightly up the first base line.

"I thought he was battling himself a little bit," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Still trying to get a feel for that changeup. The added velocity, I feel like he's lost a little command of his fastball. I don't know if the late ramp-up and the inconsistent work that he's done in the last month, it just doesn't seem like the fastball command is where he needs it to be. You see by him just punching out one and then the leadoff walk in the fifth to a No. 9 place hitter in a 2-2 game, that was disappointing. But he is battling and it looks like he's fighting himself a little bit."

"He was struggling to execute the pitch over the zone," Severino said. "He tried to work to command the pitch over the plate. He tries so much and works so much every day. We come to the field with the same feel every day."

Asked to compare Means the past two seasons, Severino said, "It's not even close. I've never seen him like that. John Means is a great pitcher and he commands every pitch. ... It's frustrating for him and for us, too. We know how good he is, and nothing worked today."

Meaningful progress for Means in September?

"All zeros from here on out. That would be ideal," Means said.

"Just ending the season with the fastball command that I want. That's the key. I had my changeup today, but I didn't have a fastball to throw it off of, and that's my game, that's who I am. If I can get that going again in this next start and the starts after that, I'll be happy."

José Iglesias extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a leadoff single in the third. His infield single in the ninth produced his seventh straight multi-hit game and the Orioles scored twice on the play on two Mets throwing errors.

Former Orioles reliever Miguel Castro had a scoreless eighth in his Mets debut. Mountcastle singled with two outs.

Herrera is the 41st player used by the Orioles this season. His contract was selected to provide infield insurance with Hanser Alberto nursing a sore knee, but Núñez got him into today's game.

Hyde said Núñez is day-to-day with a sore hamstring.

Note: The Orioles and Major League Baseball announced plans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of 2,131 on Sunday.

Cal Ripken Jr. will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to his son Ryan, an infielder in the Orioles organization. The moment was captured on video at Camden Yards and will be played in ballparks throughout the majors.

Orioles players and coaches will wear a commemorative 2131 anniversary patch on their right sleeve during Sunday's game against the Yankees.

The Orioles will launch an exclusive interactive digital experience, "Orioles.com/2131," that will feature a collection of content including iconic photos and videos showcasing his career and the historic streak. Fans are encouraged to share their own memories of Ripken setting a new consecutive-games record and submit personal photos and videos on Orioles.com/2131Memories by Friday for a chance to be featured on Orioles.com and on MASN's broadcast during the celebration. Also, Orioles.com/BirdlandInsider will feature blogs for fans to relive 2131 as Orioles employees share behind-the-scenes stories from the days leading up to Sept. 6, 1995.

Ripken will join the broadcasts on MASN and the Orioles Radio Network to reflect on the anniversary. Special 2130 and 2131 graphics will be digitally displayed on the warehouse through the MASN broadcast for fans at home, mimicking the banners in August and September of 1995.

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation also be featured as part of the virtual community booth during the day's broadcast.

MLB Network will air "The Streak: 25 Years Later," a new special featuring an in-depth interview with Ripken as he watches memorable moments from that night, beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday.