Quality start for Orioles can't stop losing streak (updated)

The best method for eliminating a streak usually isn't to pile another one on top of it.

The Orioles began today with 13 losses in a row. They were 0-15 against the Twins since March 2018.

Maybe they could kill two streaks with one starter. Or a solid outing from the bullpen. A clutch hit with runners in scoring position. Any trick to get back on track.

Thirteen consecutive Orioles were retired by Twins starter José Berríos before Ryan Mountcastle hit a game-tying home run to center field in the fifth inning. Pushed beyond regulation, the Orioles surrendered two runs in the 10th on Adam Plutko's wild pitch and Jorge Polanco's homer that gave the Twins a 3-2 win before an announced sellout crowd of 11,010 at Camden Yards.

Rob Refsnyder began the 10th on second base, moved to third on a grounder and raced home on a slider in the dirt that ricocheted off catcher Austin Wynns' chest and rolled to his right. Polanco reached the flag court with two outs and the Orioles tumbled to 17-37 with their 21st loss in 23 games.

DJ Stewart made a leaping catch at the left field fence to rob Alex Kirilloff after Josh Donaldson doubled, and his double scored automatic runner Maikel Franco and reduced the lead to 3-2. Mountcastle struck out looking against Hansel Robles, Stevie Wilkerson walked, Wynns struck out and Freddy Galvis flied out.

"Obviously, we were looking for some contact there with a runner on third, one out and the infield in," manager Brandon Hyde said during his Zoom call. "And first and third, they were anticipating a safety squeeze possibly, that's why Donaldson was holding the runner at third base, which made it hard for Stew to get much of a lead there. That still was in play possibly if we had gotten into a little bit of a better count, but 0-1, 0-2 right away made it difficult. And tip your hat to Robles making some really good pitches there."

"The guy pitched a good at-bat to me," Mountcastle said. "I was trying to get something I could drive to the outfield with the infield in there and couldn't pull the trigger and just got to do better next time."

Paul Fry struck out the side in the ninth and Trey Mancini led off the bottom half by dumping a single into center field off Berríos, who came back out at 96 pitches. Reliever Taylor Rogers struck out Anthony Santander and Franco grounded into a double play.

Hyde might have been tempted to keep Fry in the game for the 10th, but he resisted.

"If I didn't use him yesterday, I would have done that," Hyde said. "He just hasn't been a back-to-back multiple-inning guy and the role we need Paul in, too, I don't want to lose him for a couple days. So he did his job."

Jorge López provided a start that the Orioles needed with one run allowed in six innings to lower his ERA to 5.29. He struck out seven batters and was replaced after 90 pitches.

Mountcastle struck out in six of his last seven at-bats before hitting a 410-foot shot that fooled Refsnyder, who ran into the fence a full speed while chasing it. Mountcastle was batting .225/.255/.358 in 48 games before today and had three hits and nine strikeouts in his last 16 at-bats.

The Twins led 1-0 in the third inning on Kyle Garlick's single and stolen base, Andrelton Simmons' infield hit and Polanco's fielder's choice grounder. López ran down Simmons' roller near third base, hesitated while pondering a play in front of him and threw late to first.

Donaldson, who doubled in the first, grounded into a 5-4-3 double play and López limited the damage.

López had six strikeouts through four innings, following a two-out walk to Mitch Garver in the fourth by freezing Miguel Sanó with a 96 mph fastball after Wynns visited the mound. He recorded earlier strikeouts with his changeup, curveball and sinker.

Simmons singled with two outs in the fifth and advanced on a balk. Polanco popped up, and López got out of an inning unscathed that usually hurts him.

A 21.94 ERA lost a little weight and the deficit held at one run.

Wynns spoke to López again in the sixth after a two-out walk to Garver, with pitching coach Chris Holt joining the conference. Donaldson stood on second base after a single and ground out. Sanó, who hit a three-run homer off López in the sixth inning in Minnesota, flied to right field.

"That was nice to see him get through the sixth," Hyde said. "Almost the same situation in Minnesota with Sanó, runners on base, and got the flyout to right to get him through six innings. Really, really pleased with how far he's come and how much he's improved and getting better over the course of the season."

"It's been tough," López said. "We know how difficult this game is, but getting my confidence back pitch by pitch, going through inning by inning, Just giving us a chance to keep the game close. ... We need to get better at some things, but from my point, I felt really good with all my pitches. Threw really good pitches when I was ahead in the count, attacking with all the guys. Followed the plan.

"Wynns really did a good job on the first day. It's kind of tough sometimes when you've got a new catcher coming up and trying to get all the information and he really did a good job."

Hyde mentioned yesterday that his club could use a three-run homer "big-time in a big spot." He would have settled for a single today.

Cedric Mullins led off with a double and was stranded. Four batters into the game and the Orioles were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position after going 4-for-56 in the past seven defeats.

Berríos retired 17 of 18 before back-to-back singles by Mancini and Santander in the sixth. Franco grounded out on the first pitch.

The Orioles managed one run and four hits with no walks against Berríos.

The 14-game losing streak matches the second-longest in club history. This is the longest losing streak in the majors since the 2013 Houston Astros dropped their last 15 games.

"It's been tough last couple weeks, but we're trying to keep our head up and trying to keep playing hard," Mountcastle said. "We've been in a lot of close games and we've just got to try to turn the page and move on to the next one and hopefully win tomorrow.

"We've got a good group of guys, some veterans, and we've had some talks and we've tried to talk it out and see what we can do differently. We're going to keep moving forward and try to win the next day."

César Valdez retired the side in order in the seventh on a strikeout and two ground balls. Tanner Scott walked his 19th batter in 20 2/3 innings in the eighth, but struck out Kirilloff and Nelson Cruz.