On Friday night, Cedric Mullins was solid, but didn't get much help

KANSAS CITY - On the first night of a three-game series between the two teams with the worst records in the majors, not a lot went right for the Orioles. Their starter, Andrew Cashner, allowed four runs, their bullpen gave up five and they were outscored 9-2 and outhit 14-4. While center fielder Cedric Mullins went 2-for-4, the rest of the Orioles went 2-for-26 in the series opener.

The Orioles have lost five in a row on the road, where they are 16-51. They are 2-11 in their last 13 games in Kauffman Stadium since May 17, 2014.

But let's at least start this entry on a positive note. Mullins was back in the lineup last night and went 2-for-4 with a leadoff homer in the first and a double in the sixth. He scored both Baltimore runs. It's his sixth multi-hit game in the 18 he's played in the majors. Mullins was also very active in center field, running down several deep drives in that spacious outfield. He's starting to settle in on defense and get used to the big ballparks in the majors.

"Yeah, I definitely am," Mullins said. "Just getting used to the depth perception. You know, it's definitely becoming a lot more easy for me, especially taking batting practice (and tracking balls then). I'm able to get out there and read some balls off the bat a lot easier."

Said manager Buck Showalter of another good game on offense for the kid: "You can tell when he goes up there he's got a plan, he doesn't get out of it. Doesn't seem to let a whole lot bother him. There's a certain calmness to his game. And a certain quiet confidence."

Last night Mullins became the 13th different Oriole to hit a leadoff homer within his first three career homers. The last to do so was Ryan Flaherty on May 10, 2012 versus Texas.

In 18 games, Mullins is batting .317/.386/.556 with 12 runs and nine extra-base hits. Mullins has impressed players throughout the clubhouse, including Cashner, last night's starter.

"Cedric's been great, I think, going back on the ball. Swinging, the homer to start the game and then the double later. It's nice getting a look at that guy. You hear a lot about these guys coming up but don't really get to see them play. I didn't get to see Ced that much in the spring, but any time you can add speed to your team, it changes things," he said of Mullins.

But the bullpen faltered: The Orioles keep waiting for some of their young bullpen pitchers to step up and state their case to be on the 2019 team. It didn't happen last night. Yefry Ramírez allowed two runs in 2/3 of an inning. Ryan Meisinger gave up three runs in the last of the eighth.

"There are a lot of things that always seem to change when guys come up. Stolen bases (for hitters) go down. Strikeouts go up for hitters. Pitchers walks usually go up because there's, I don't want to say a fear of the barrel of the bat, but the damage can put you on your heels. And knock your confidence down a little bit. But hopefully, they are going to learn from it. Yefry had been pitching well out of the 'pen a couple of times, and tonight wasn't one of those nights. Ryan just, you know, he had two days off but just wasn't very crisp."

The losses mount: The Orioles are now 40-95 and the 2018 team has become the 10th in club history to lose 95 or more, and the first since 2010.

The other nine teams are on this list:

107 losses - 1988
100 losses - 1954
98 losses - 2001 and 2009
97 losses - 1955
96 losses - 2010
95 losses - 1987, 1991, 2002

Hall seems to have it all: Single-A Delmarva lefty DL Hall made his final start of the minor league season last night and threw five scoreless as Delmarva beat Lakewood 3-1. Hall, the club's 2017 top draft pick, finished the season with a 2.10 ERA. In his first full season of pro ball he pitched 94 1/3 innings, allowing 68 hits with 42 walks, 100 strikeouts and with a .203 batting average against.

Hall finished his season with 13 straight starts in which he allowed one earned run or none. Seven of them were scoreless starts. His ERA in that span is 0.88.

A few days ago, I wrote this profile on the 19-year-old left-hander.

Before last night's game, Mullins talked in this entry about a visit Friday afternoon in Kansas City to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Earlier today, @cedmull30, @MychalGivens, and additional members of the staff/team visited the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. #Birdland @nlbmprez pic.twitter.com/pEZe1aVZEj

-- Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 31, 2018