Orioles manage only one hit in 5-1 loss (updated)

CLEVELAND – Spenser Watkins retired the first 11 batters tonight and seemed intent on maintaining the recent run of quality starts from the rotation.

To do so, of course, required Watkins to limit the number of runs.

Watkins surrendered two in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth, exiting before the final out, and the offense sputtered again in the Orioles’ 5-1 loss to the Guardians at Progressive Field.

The beginning of another important series for the Orioles produced the third loss to Cleveland in four games this season and lowered their record to 67-61.

Cal Quantrill allowed a leadoff single to Ramón Urías in the second inning, and it was the last Orioles hit. Quantrill retired the last 10 batters he faced after Anthony Santander’s two-out walk in the third.

The bullpen covered the last three innings, with Ryan Mountcastle’s two-out walk in the seventh against Trevor Stephan snapping a string of 12 consecutive batters retired. Santander reached on an error leading off the ninth.

The Guardians have won the last seven games against the Orioles in Cleveland, their longest stretch since claiming eight in a row from August 1998-September 2000. Their .867 (13-2) home winning percentage over the Orioles since 2017 is the fifth-highest by any major league club against a single opponent in that span.

Watkins’ streak of retired batters ended in the fourth when José Ramírez poked a single into left field against the shift and Josh Naylor homered to center for a 2-1 lead.

Only one of the first 11 Guardians got a ball out of the infield. Naylor drove a cutter 399 feet and beyond a leaping Cedric Mullins.

Three consecutive one-out singles in the fifth loaded the bases and rookie Steven Kwan’s fly ball fell inside the left field line for a two-run double. Amed Rosario followed with a sacrifice fly and manager Brandon Hyde signaled for left-hander Nick Vespi, making his first appearance since Wednesday and second since Aug. 19.

“A close pitch to Ramírez that we don’t get, then a veteran piece of hitting where he hits a single the other way," Hyde said. "And just a bad cutter to Naylor there for the two-run homer, and then just kind of got singled to death there in that fifth inning early in the count. But was really good two outs into the fourth inning. But we had one hit, so, tough to win on nights like that.”

Watkins threw 70 pitches while allowing his most runs since May 11 in St. Louis. He hadn’t surrendered more than two earned in seven of his 10 previous starts.

The right-hander threw 17 strikes among 25 pitches in two innings. He retired the side in order on 12 pitches in the third and got a ground ball and strikeout in the fourth before his start began to unravel.

"I had a good rhythm, was building each inning," Watkins said. "I would have liked the chance to go a little bit deeper, but it's Skip's decision and I respect that. But I thought I had a good chance to get deep in that game."

Watkins said the Guardians made an adjustment the second time through the order, looking to the other side of the field.

"It took us a little bit of time to figure that out," he said. "And a couple shift-beaters, the corner double, which, you can't do much about that."

Orioles starters allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of the last seven games for a 1.58 ERA. They posted seven quality starts in the past 12, and completed six innings in five straight for the first time since June 5-9, 2019

The Orioles have scored seven runs in Watkins’ last four starts. They led in the second after Urías’ leadoff single, Kyle Stowers’ walk, a force play at second base and Mountcastle’s sacrifice fly to deep right field.

Mountcastle was hitless with nine strikeouts in his last 14 at-bats before tonight.

"I felt good today," he said. "I thought I put together some good at-bats and hit the ball hard a couple times, but they're just not finding holes right now. It is what it is. I'm going to keep trying to grow on this and finish the season strong."

Mountcastle was batting .172/.245/.289 with 12 walks and 39 strikeouts in 143 plate appearances in the second half before tonight's game.

"It's everything," he said. "Lately I feel like I've had some bad at-bats here and there, but I feel like for the most part I've been having some pretty good at-bats. Either not hitting it hard, or when I do, it just seems like it's finding somebody. It's unfortunate, but I'm going to try to keep growing and working hard at it."

Rougned Odor led off the fourth with a fly ball to the center field fence, where Will Benson made a leaping catch to deny him an extra-base hit. Odor thought he homered - flipping his bat, patting the top of his helmet and pausing on his way out of the box.

Jorge Mateo led off the third with a walk and was erased on Mullins’ fielder’s choice grounder. Mullins stole his 29^th base as Adley Rutschman struck out, breaking a tie with Mateo for the American League lead, and Anthony Santander walked with the count full, but Urías grounded into a force at third base.

"(Quantrill) has been really good," Hyde said. "I think I saw a stat where he hasn’t lost his last 30 starts here. Is that correct? So, obviously pitches well here. I thought we took some pretty good at-bats early. We had nice situational hitting, Mountcastle with the sac fly there to give us a run to give us an early lead, and we just didn’t do much after that.”

The Orioles scored six runs in Houston but won the series. Their last eight games before tonight were decided by two runs or fewer.

They’ve played 71 games this season with margins of two runs or fewer, the most in the American League.

They couldn't get closer than four tonight.

"We had a 1-0 lead, Spenser was pitching well, so you want to add on there and we just didn’t get any more runs,” Hyde said.

The Orioles have been one-hit in three games this season.

"Their center fielder made two crazy plays today, and that's baseball," Mountcastle said. "Some days they're going to fall and some days they're not. Just keep trying to play hard and get some wins here."

Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Bruce Zimmermann tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings with three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.

Joey Ortiz’s first Triple-A hit was a double in the fifth inning that scored Gunnar Henderson, who singled three times. Henderson also scored on an Ortiz single in the seventh, and both players had two stolen bases.

DL Hall tossed 1 1/3 scoreless and hitless innings with one walk and one strikeout. Colton Cowser, batting leadoff, went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in his first Triple-A game.

Double-A Bowie second baseman Connor Norby went 3-for-4 with a triple, home run and four RBIs. He’s batting .299 with a .968 OPS with the Baysox.