O's losing streak reaches nine (updated with quotes, roster moves)

SEATTLE - With the Orioles offense not producing much lately, there is more pressure on the pitching staff on this road trip. For right-hander Dylan Bundy, who was throwing a gem, it came apart tonight in the last of the sixth.

Working with a lead, but just by a 2-1 score, Bundy and reliever Evan Phillips saw Seattle put up three to win 5-2 in the opener of a four-game series.

The Orioles extend their longest losing streak of 2019 to nine games to fall to 21-54 overall and 12-26 in road games. They have lost 13 of their past 15 games and are 6-25 in the last 31.

The offense has produced just nine runs and 17 hits while they've gone 0-4 on this road trip. Their only extra-base hit of the road trip is a homer by Jonathan Villar on Tuesday night. Baltimore batters have scored three runs or less in 15 of the past 21 games.

Chasing the Orioles second quality start in the last 10 games, Bundy got the first out of the sixth. But right fielder Domingo Santana hit an opposite-field homer to right to tie it 2-2. It was No. 16. Three straight singles followed, the last by Kyle Seager providing the Mariners a 3-2 lead and ending Bundy's night. Phillips came on and fanned Tim Beckham, but Mac Williamson's single to right made it a 4-2 game. Seattle had just three hits through five and then scored three on five hits in the home sixth. An inning later Paul Fry issued a bases-loaded walk to Seager and the lead grew to 5-2.

Seattle went with an opener tonight and it only served to help the Orioles open up a 2-0 lead in the first. Right-hander Tayler Scott was throwing mid 90s but he walked the first, third and fifth batters he faced before lefty Wade LeBlanc replaced him.

He came on for a left-left matchup against the Orioles' Rio Ruiz with the sacks full and two outs. Ruiz would ground an 0-1 fastball into right field for two runs and a quick 2-0 lead, scoring Villar and Pedro Severino.

Ruiz was batting .250 this year with runners in scoring position and was 2-for-9 (.222) with the bases loaded before his clutch hit.

It provided the Orioles with their first lead since early Monday night at Oakland in the road trip opener. They briefly led that game 2-1 in the second inning, but by the third inning were down a run and went on to lose 3-2.

Tonight's early lead was cut to 2-1 when catcher Omar Narváez led off the second with a homer to right off Bundy. He hit No. 11 and it got the Mariners on the board.

Bundy went 5 1/3 innings allowing seven hits and four runs to fall to 3-9 with an ERA of 4.59. He fanned eight to tie his season-high but his run of eight straight starts allowing three earned runs or less ended.

During the nine-game losing streak, the O's have scored just 28 runs. They pitched better tonight but the runs were not plentiful and the losing streak remains intact.

Roster moves: After tonight's game the Orioles announced they've optioned both Fry and Phillips to Triple-A Norfolk, so some pitching reinforcements are headed for Seattle.

Hyde, is lack of offense putting too much pressure on the pitchers?: "Yeah. Yes. We don't add on leads. And we don't add on runs. It seems like once we get down these last couple of weeks we have a hard time getting back in it. We're having a tough time against major league bullpens that are going right through us as of late. We did a nice job in the first and didn't do anything after that."

Bundy on his night: "Good for five innings. Kind of the same thing as the last start, gave up multiple hits in a row in the sixth inning. I was just leaving pitches over the middle of the plate more in the sixth inning than the first five. Not tired at all. I think I just yanked a fastball to Santana there and a couple pitches didn't go my way later in that inning."

Ruiz on his two-run single: "I knew he has a lot of stuff, a lot of pitches in his arsenal. Just looking for something out over the plate I could put a barrel on."