Povich takes loss in debut, offense quiet through seven as they split series (updated)

TORONTO – Lefty Cade Povich’s big league debut began in fine fashion on a sunny afternoon in downtown Toronto. He retired the first three batters he faced on just nine pitches. He fanned his first batter, left fielder Davis Schneider, swinging at an elevated 92 mph fastball.

Facing a Toronto Blue Jays lineup not as feared as it once was, Povich - ranked as the Orioles No. 8 prospect by Baseball America (and No. 99 in a new top 100) and No. 9 by MLBPipeline.com - put up a zero in the Blue Jays’ second as well.

But a pitcher who improved his walk rate this year with Triple-A Norfolk issued two free passes in the third inning. And then one pitch featuring some good hitting cost him in a game that ended in a 6-5 Toronto win.

First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got a 1-0 backdoor cutter on the outside corner and hit that ball where it was pitched. His three-run homer to right started the scoring today in front of 39,215 at Rogers Centre.

After the game Povich got props from his manager and the clubhouse for showing poise. They realized that four runs came via a 350-foot homer and a bloop, and that two more scored after he left the game.

“I was really impressed by him," skipper Brandon Hyde said. "I liked the way he threw the ball. Just a couple of walks before Guerrero set that up for the home run. And then a bad-luck hit in shallow right field. Only a few pitches, probably, he wants back. I thought he threw the ball great. Good fastball. Liked his cutter.

“I liked the poise on the mound. He pitched into the sixth inning on the road in his first major league start. Thought he did a great job."

Hyde said that if he needs Povich a few days from now he wouldn't hesitate to start him again.

“No I wouldn’t. Just really impressed by him," he said. "Thought he handled everything today outstanding. You never know what you are going to get in a debut. In a tough environment against an all-right-handed hitting club. I thought he did fantastic." 

Guerrero’s power numbers are down this year, and he had hit just two home runs his past 26 games entering today. His fly ball to right got out just over the wall at 356 feet. Per Statcast, it would be a homer in just 15 of 30 big league parks. But it was a big blow in this game as the Blue Jays won for the seventh time in their past 10 games and improved to 30-32 overall.

The Orioles offense, which produced 17 runs as Baltimore won the first two games of this series, did not get anything going today until Adley Rutschman’s solo homer in the sixth cut Toronto’s lead at that point to 4-1.

After scoring 19 runs in the first 20 innings of this series, through the second inning last night, the O’s went 12 innings without a run.

Then Rutschman got a 2-0 curveball from Toronto lefty Yusei Kikuchi and hit his 11^th home run. Rutschman has owned lefty pitchers this year, coming into today batting .442 with an OPS of 1.164 against southpaws. And this homer was his sixth against a left-hander.

Rutschman hit a two-run homer from the left side in the eighth off Zach Pop to cut Toronto's lead to 6-3. It was his second multi-homer game of the season and his career.

It was the third two-homer game in this series by an Oriole, as Austin Hays did that Monday and Ryan Mountcastle did it on Tuesday. 

Kikuchi had allowed 11 runs over 8 1/3 innings his past two outings. But today he got the win and gave up just the one run and four hits over six frames on 89 pitches.

Up 3-0, Toronto extended the lead in the home fourth inning. Povich got the first two out, but then Daulton Varsho’s bloop to right fell in for a double. A bloop single from Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed, and it was 4-0.

Povich was replaced by right-hander Dillon Tate after he gave up a single and walk with one out in the sixth. The runners moved up a base when Tate got a groundout, but both scored on No. 9 hitter Ernie Clements’ two-run single into left.

So the final line on Povich showed 5 1/3 innings, in which he allowed five hits and six runs, all earned, issued four walks and got two strikeouts. He threw 100 pitches, 58 for strikes, and leaves his first game with an ERA of 10.13.

Povich said he was ready to meet the moment.

“I felt fully prepared, fully ready," he said. "And yeah, it’s the moment I’ve been waiting for since I was a little kid. So, I was happy it came, for sure"

Povich had 14 family and friends here, and reporters could not help but hear them cheeing him loudly just outside the clubhouse door after the game.

“It’s fun," he said. "Something I dreamed of as a kid, this happening. Obviously, some stuff not going my way in the third inning. Walked some guys and haven’t done that much this year. So, uncharacteristic. But, overall on the day, I mean, it’s an awesome treat and something I’m going to be proud of. You know, it’s a dream come true.

“There were definitely some nerves. Wasn’t a lot of sleep the last couple of days. You know, tough to eat this morning. But it’s a great experience. I’ve been told by a bunch of guys to just slow it down and really try to take it all in. Because this only happens once. I definitely stepped back and tried to keep breathing and make sure look I looked around as much as possible to take everything in." 

Ryan O'Hearn's two-run homer off closer Yimi García with two out in the ninth cut the Jays' lead to one. But Kyle Stowers struck out to end the game in a 6-5 Toronto win. The four-game series ends in a split.

For the Orioles, it was a disappointing ending to a series that started with two wins and the club hitting seven homers, scoring 17 runs. They had gone 10-2 over the previous 12 games to that point, scoring 75 runs with an .844 team OPS. They had won nine of their last 10 at Rogers Centre through Tuesday night before the back-to-back losses to close this series. 

But Povich, in his first game in the majors, left with a deceptive pitching line and a few special memories that he shared with family and friends.

“It was a rush to get them all out, but it’s awesome," he said. "Parents, fiancé, couple of my best friends, agent. It was tough, being out of the country, for all to get here, and happy they were able to make it. It was definitely a blast." 

Now the Orioles head to St. Petersburg, Fla. for four games with the Tampa Bay Rays with a record of 39-22.

The New York Yankees (44-19) host Minnesota tonight, and if they win that game, the Orioles will fall 4 1/2 games out of first in the AL East. 

Final note: Hays was hit in the ribs by a pitch in the ninth and was, per Hyde, "getting checked out" after the game.