Orioles' scoreless streak reaches 24 innings in rare home series sweep (updated)

Ryan Mountcastle’s fly ball with two outs in the fourth inning fell in front of charging Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki for a soft double. The Orioles had their first baserunner. They got a body in scoring position.

Newly appointed All-Star Anthony Santander swung at the next pitch and grounded out to extend the club’s scoreless streak to 19 innings and its struggles with RISP to whatever level is beyond frustrating.

Albert Suárez tried to keep the game close, but a four-run deficit in the fifth felt insurmountable with the offense stuck in neutral.

Cubs left-hander Justin Steele tossed seven scoreless innings on only 70 pitches and the Orioles lost 8-0 before an announced crowd of 22,685 at Camden Yards, the first time they were swept at home since Aug. 27-29, 2021 against the Rays.

The Orioles were outscored 21-2 in the series and haven’t plated a run in their last 24 innings. They were shut out in back-to-back games for the first time in three years. And they’ve got the Yankees this weekend.

"Just not very good at-bats," said manager Brandon Hyde, whose club still leads the division by two games. "We just didn't do a whole lot of anything this series."

Suárez allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. He was removed after 90 pitches and with his ERA rising to 2.82.

"In the fifth, I just thought he left some balls up in the zone, some off-speed stuff," Hyde said.

"They were just swinging and everything was going right for them," Suárez said. "In my mind, I was just like, keep making pitches and trying to get people out."

Cole Irvin was charged with four runs in four innings. Cedric Mullins lost a fly ball in the ninth that fell for a gift leadoff double, the seventh hit off Irvin, but the margin stayed at eight.

Steele held the Orioles (57-36) to three hits, all doubles. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out four.

Jorge Mateo doubled with two outs in the fifth, with left fielder Ian Happ diving for the ball after it bounced and letting it roll past him. Mullins struck out.

Santander doubled to left-center field with one out in the seventh and Jordan Westburg popped up the next pitch. Austin Hays flied out to complete Steele’s six-pitch inning.

Steele was barreling toward back-to-back complete games but manager Craig Counsell called for left-hander Drew Smyly.

"Justin Steele's really good and he's been pitching extremely well," Hyde said. "He's got a really good cutter he can throw to both sides. Little bit of a two-seamer and a sweeper he can throw to left-handers. We just had a tough time kind of pushing him out over the plate, our right-handers. We were getting jammed constantly."

Santander walked against Jorge López with two outs in the ninth and Jordan Westburg doubled, but Hays grounded out.

The Orioles went 0-for-11 with RISP last night and 0-for-5 tonight. They’re 12-for-73 in their last nine games.

Suárez worked around a leadoff hit batter and a disengagement balk to toss a scoreless first inning and he stranded another runner in the second. But Michael Busch walked with two outs in the third and scored on Suzuki’s double into the left field corner.

Christopher Morel drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, held when Hays ran down Dansby Swanson’s fly ball to left-center field and was thrown out trying to steal. But Tomás Nido singled with one out in the fifth and the next three batters doubled for a 4-0 lead. Busch drove in two runs and Suzuki one.

Swanson greeted Irvin with a 425-foot home run in the sixth. Suzuki added to his destructive night with an RBI triple in the seventh and he scored on Ian Happ’s double. Happ came home on Swanson’s single for an 8-0 lead.

Irvin got the final out and screamed into his glove as he walked to the dugout.

Hyde won’t scream in the clubhouse, but his frustration is mounting.

"We didn't play well at all in any aspect, so we've got to play a lot better going forward," Hyde said.

"We're a good team. It's been a rough few days. We just got flat-out beat and didn't play well. We got beat by starters, we didn't do much against their bullpen. We didn't play very good defense for us and we didn't throw the ball very well besides Burnsie (Corbin Burnes) last night. So we've got to play a little better."

* On a cheerier note, the Orioles could celebrate Santander becoming their fifth All-Star.

"He's had an All-Star first half," Hyde said. "Played wonderful defense, been a huge part of the middle of our order. He's had a heck of a first half after a little bit of a slow start. Very happy to give him the news today."

Hyde knows what Santander went through to get here, though he wasn't the manager when the Orioles selected the young outfielder in the 2016 Rule 5 draft out of Class A. Santander didn't make the club in 2019, Hyde's first season, and he battled through injuries to become the player that he is today.

"For me, kind of solidified himself as a major league player that second half in '19," Hyde said. "He's one of my favorites. This guy's been with us through this whole path and it's awesome to see him get recognition, and it's going to be fun watching him on national TV."

Santander texted his parents but didn't have time to call them today because he needed to prepare for the game. He found out about his selection when he arrived late to the clubhouse, was called into Hyde's office and found the entire staff waiting for him.

"They applauded me," he said.

"It is a blessing. All the work I've put in all these years, and I'm happy and grateful and all the glory to Jesus Christ. I never gave up. Tough injuries early in my career, but always having the right mentality, working hard, able to bounce back and stay here and go out there and play every single game and help the team win, which is more important."

Santander is replacing injured Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker.

"It was a possibility, but there's a lot of good players out there, so we always have to wait for them to make the call and they chose me and I'm happy," Santander said.

* Triple-A Norfolk's Connor Norby hit his 16th home run. Justin Armbruester threw six scoreless innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts.

* Double-A Bowie’s Alex Pham allowed one hit in six scoreless innings, and he struck out six batters.

High-A Aberdeen’s Zach Fruit allowed an unearned run and one hit with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.