Rodriguez starts hot and fades by sixth in Orioles' 6-4 loss (updated)

The first three pitches from Grayson Rodriguez tonight were clocked at 98.9, 99.2 and 99.8 mph, resulting in a fly ball from Dodgers leadoff hitter Mookie Betts.

That’s when he decided to turn up the heat.

Rodriguez concluded an eight-pitch at-bat against Freddie Freeman by getting him to ground a 101-mph fastball to third baseman Ramón Urías. Six of his pitches exceeded 100 mph in the inning. He didn’t top 99.3 during his first stint with the club.

This wasn’t the same version of Rodriguez. Not until he came back out for the sixth.

Twice handed three-run leads, Rodriguez couldn’t record an out in the sixth and watched from the dugout as Chris Taylor hit a grand slam off Bryan Baker in the Dodgers’ 6-4 victory over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 21,956 at Camden Yards.

Baker inherited two runners from Rodriguez, retired two batters on fly balls, walked Jason Heyward, got ahead of Taylor 0-2 and served up the slam on a 97.7 mph fastball that landed in the bullpen. Taylor was batting .213 before tonight, .192 with runners in scoring position and .167 with the bases loaded and two outs.

Ryan Brasier, charged with three earned runs against the Orioles on Opening Day in Boston, earned his first save with the Dodgers, and the winning streak ended at eight games. Tampa Bay also lost, keeping the Orioles one game back in the division.

"Probably could have been in a better spot," Baker said. "I got it high enough. Just a little bit too far out over, and gave him time to get to it, pretty much.

"Didn't seem like he was really on time with (the fastball), so I trusted it and tried to get it up and just didn't get there."

Baker also got ahead of Heyward 0-2 before walking him.

"I think just being one strike away from getting out of it in general for that long, not being able to execute, yeah, it's tough, for sure," he said.

Adley Rutschman lined his 13^th home run to right field in the fifth inning, and Rodriguez walked to the mound with a 4-1 lead. He was removed at 91 pitches after Freeman tripled – the ball glanced off the glove of leaping center fielder Aaron Hicks – Will Smith singled and Max Muncy walked.

Rodriguez was charged with four runs and seven hits, with two walks, four strikeouts and two wild pitches. He induced a double play with his changeup to end the second and used the same pitch to strike out James Outman and Betts in the third and Outman again in the fifth.

High-velocity fastballs weren’t his only weapon.

"I thought he threw the ball really well," said manager Brandon Hyde. "I thought the command has improved. I thought the stuff was excellent. Just had a tough time there in the sixth, but besides that, I thought he threw the ball really, really well. I'm really excited about him."

The fourth inning wall caused another collision for Rodriguez, who allowed an RBI single to J.D. Martinez after Freeman’s leadoff single, a wild pitch and Smith’s walk. But Rodriguez limited the damage and the Orioles led 3-1.

Rodriguez has surrendered 14 runs in the fourth this season.

Martinez began the night with a career .300 average and 1.073 OPS in 47 games at Camden Yards. He has 13 doubles, 18 home runs and 44 RBIs in 184 at-bats.

Betts singled into left-center field with two outs in the fifth and Hicks threw him out at second base to leave Rodriguez at 80 pitches. His four-seamer didn’t touch triple digits after the first, but he could sit in the upper 90s and weave in his changeup and other secondary stuff.

"I was excited to get back in front of the fans, especially throwing in Camden Yards," Rodriguez said. "The velo is something we've been working on, something that has been with me the last couple starts with Norfolk, so that's something we're going to try to keep in our pocket."

Freeman barreled a fastball for his triple in the sixth, with Hicks preventing the home run but unable to make the catch. Smith lined a changeup into left, and Rodriguez missed with his curveball, changeup and fastball while walking Muncy.

"This is a tough lineup to get through three times and that's a tough top of the order," Hyde said. "We were up (4-2) when he left."

Asked whether he considered taking out Rodriguez before a third time through the order, Hyde said, "With the state of our bullpen, I thought he was still throwing the ball well. He gave up that hard hit to Betts the inning before, but still had more left in the tank. We didn't pitch our best there in the sixth inning."

For the sixth time in 11 starts, Rodriguez exited without recording an out in the sixth inning. His career high is 5 2/3 on May 9 against the Rays.

Rodriguez said he noticed a difference in himself tonight compared to his previous period in the majors.

"I felt a little more confident coming into the game tonight," he said. "Obviously didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. There's some pitches I want back, but that happens."

The confidence was born from those days in Triple-A, the reset working as the Orioles envisioned.

"Kind of gathered myself and got back to the pitcher I know I am, and that's throwing a lot of fastballs," Rodriguez said. "That's something we were able to do tonight. Left a few over the plate there in the sixth, but other than that, it was a little bit better than when I was up here before."

Staying in turn puts Rodriguez at Tropicana Field Saturday night against the first-place Rays.  

"He looked amazing," Baker said. "I was really impressed with the way he was attacking the zone, and obviously his stuff speaks for itself. Going out there and doing what he did was awesome to see."

Returning to a pennant race excites Rodriguez.

"It's a lot of fun," he said. "Obviously, when I was in Norfolk, watching all the games, still feel like I'm a part of the team. And now that I'm back, just trying to help the team win some games, and it's going to be a fun stretch here in the second half."

The Orioles jumped Dodgers rookie Emmet Sheehan early, getting a double from Ryan Mountcastle in the first inning that plated Anthony Santander – Ryan O’Hearn singled to keep the rally alive – and scoring twice in the second for a 3-0 lead.

Colton Cowser led off with a walk, Urías doubled, Adam Frazier produced a run with a ground ball, and Gunnar Henderson tripled down the right field line.

The crowd erupted again on Rutschman’s home run, and it gave Rodriguez a standing ovation after he left the game.

Thrilled that he’s back with the Orioles. Wishing for a much different outcome.

* Mountcastle reached on an infield single in the eighth and had his first multi-hit game since May 16.

* Austin Voth is expected to make a start Tuesday in the Florida Complex League. He's on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort.

* The Orioles have signed their first two draft picks, center fielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. from Vanderbilt University and outfielder Mac Horvath from the University of North Carolina.

Bradfield received a $4,169,700 bonus, according to an industry source, the slot value for the 17^th-overall selection. He’ll speak to the media on Tuesday.

Horvath received a $1.4 million bonus, per an industry source. The slot value of the 53^rd-overall selection was $1.5829 million.

“There was talk with my agent on where I was going to land,” Horvath said. “It was probably a good percentage chance that I was going to go on the first day, whether that be second round or like the comp (competitive balance) round of the second. It was just a huge relief for my family and just a lot of excitement when my name got called.”

Horvath, introduced to the crowd after the bottom of the third inning, is headed down to Sarasota and will filter into a farm system ranked No. 1 in baseball.

“They’ve done an incredible job,” he said. “As everyone can see, they’re bringing up a lot of young guys, and I think that just kind of speaks to how good they are at developing talent.”

During his three seasons at North Carolina, Horvath slashed .275/.387/.584 with 40 doubles, three triples, 47 home runs, 141 RBIs, 44 stolen bases, 104 walks and 141 strikeouts. He hit 24 homers in 60 games this season and batted .305 with a 1.129 OPS, 21 doubles and 25 steals.

Horvath played third base and the outfield with the Tar Heels and this season became the first Atlantic Coast Conference player since 1999 with at least 20 doubles, 20 home runs and 20 steals. He was a shortstop and pitcher as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton.

“Honestly, I feel like I’m an outfielder, just comfortable out there and confident,” he said. “But obviously, playing third base for the last three years now, I feel very comfortable there, as well.”