Runs flow against Orioles after heavy rain in 9-4 loss (updated)

The storm clouds rolled in today after the Tigers finished their batting practice rounds, unleashing a torrential downpour that pushed back the first pitch almost two hours. Fans instructed to leave open areas of the ballpark and head for cover due to the severe weather. The Camden Yards drainage system challenged again like a close play on the bases, except the grounds crew always gets it right.

The most impressive pitching line in the organization already was complete, with left-hander Bruce Zimmermann tossing five hitless innings at Triple-A Norfolk to likely close out his rehab assignment.

Another rookie lefty, Keegan Akin, sat through the rain delay and hoped to convince manager Brandon Hyde that he deserved to stay in the rotation, or at least the majors, no matter what happened with Zimmermann.

Akin retired the first five Tigers before a two-out walk to Niko Goodrum led to two runs. Would he be able to weather this storm?

A four-run third inning left him at 68 pitches and unable to return for the fourth, the bullpen absolved of any blame beyond the late expansion of a deficit in the Orioles' 9-4 loss before an announced crowd of 7,124 - or what remained after the delay.

Anthony Santander homered in his first two at-bats and Cedric Mullins extended his hitting streak to 17 games, but the Orioles dropped their sixth game in a row and are 38-73. They've allowed nine or more runs in six straight games, one short of the major league record shared by the 1901 New York Giants and 2000 Mariners.

Santander led off the second inning by homering onto Eutaw Street for the fifth time in his career to tie Rafael Palmeiro for third in the ballpark's history. He's hit three home runs in his last two games.

Santander's ball was the 111th to clear the flag court and the 51st by an Oriole. Santander was the last to do it on July 6 and he didn't have another home run until Sunday afternoon.

He's really heating up this month, going 12-for-26 after the second home run.

Hyde said it's as simple as Santander being healthy again. The ankle he sprained in April finally is improved and Santander is "moving around a little better" because of the leg strength.

"He's swinging with bat speed we've seen in the past and he's getting to fastballs," Hyde said via Zoom. "It's noticeably different."

Casey Mize, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, held the Orioles to an unearned run over seven innings on July 29, but Santander launched a slider 414 feet inside the right field pole and led off the fourth with a shot to the opposite field for his fourth career multi-homer game and first since Aug 18, 2020 versus the Blue Jays.

"I feel better, thank God," Santander said. "I think it's part of the process, as well, to come in early and get my job done. Thankfully, I really feel so much better now."

DJ Stewart homered with one out, his first since June 19, to cut the lead to 6-3. Mize also surrendered three home runs in his last start against the Red Sox

Mullins doubled with one out in the fifth, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Mize fielded Ramón Urías' comebacker, looked to third and threw the ball past first to reduce the lead to 6-4. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was out of the dugout at almost the exact moment that Mullins crossed the plate.

Reliever Marcos Diplán retired all six batters faced after replacing Akin and hasn't allowed a baserunner in 3 2/3 innings since the Orioles selected his contract from Norfolk. But they were bitten again by the eighth inning, with Jeimer Canderlario hitting a two run homer off Adam Plutko for an 8-4 lead.

"I just like the way he's come in and throwing strikes and showing good stuff - 93-95, thought he threw some good sliders," Hyde said of Diplán. "Attacked hitters and went right after them with a good, firm fastball.

"Hope to give him the ball more and we'll see what happens."

Plutko has surrendered a home run in five straight appearances and 15 this season. Twenty-four runs have scored against the Orioles in the eighth in their last six games.

The walk to Goodrum in the second was followed by Willi Castro's run-scoring double off the out-of-town scoreboard and Akil Baddoo's triple into the left field corner.

A 1-2-3 first inning for Akin didn't hold. It didn't set the tone. It just teased.

Robbie Grossman led off the third with an infield hit and scored on Jonathan Schoop's double. Miguel Cabrera reached on an infield hit, Akin struck out the next two batters, Goodrum had an RBI single and two runs scored on Castro's triple. Urías mishandled the relay.

Akin threw plenty of strikes, 52 of them, but allowed six runs and seven hits and increased his ERA to 8.23.

"Just didn't execute my pitches as well as I should have when I was ahead in the count and just left too many balls up and over the plate for them to do damage with," Akin said.

"Obviously, not happy with it. Just got to get better. Execute pitches is kind of the theme with this one. Get better and learn from it and do it all over again in five day and go from there."

"Keegan had his struggles tonight," Hyde said. "I thought the stuff was good early. He's not fully stretched out, so he was going to be sitting in the 70-75 pitch range. Best-case scenario, five innings, more likely four. ... This guy lost a year last year of development and made a few starts at the end of the year in a weird season. Like a lot of our guys it's been a tough year and attribute that to a lost season last year a little bit and not much time in Triple-A, etc."

Paul Fry allowed nine runs and walked six batters in his last three appearances over two-thirds of an inning. He walked the leadoff hitter tonight in the sixth but got a double play grounder, with a strong throw from shortstop Jorge Mateo, and a strikeout.

A double play in the seventh bailed out Plutko after a walk, but he was hurt again by the longball in the eighth. Rookie Alexander Wells allowed a run and three hits in the ninth.

Maikel Franco led off the ninth with a single and moved to third base on Mateo's double, but they were stranded.

Cabrera went 1-for-3 with a walk and remains two home runs shy of 500.

Baddoo and center fielder Derek Hill had a violent collision and came out of the game in the eighth inning after chasing Santander's fly ball. Hill held onto it, but both players stayed down on the track for several minutes. Hill needed assistance getting back on his feet.

"That was a scary moment," Hyde said. "From my view you were just hoping there wasn't heads colliding. It's really hard to see guys laying on the ground. That was scary for everybody."

"Obviously, not good." Santander said. "I'm an outfielder and I can definitely relate to that, so you really don't want to see something like that happen to anyone. I hope they're doing well."

Notes: No. 1 prospect Adley Rutschman went 2-for-4 in his first Triple-A game, with a grounder to short, a liner to right field, an RBI single into left field after Zach Jarrett doubled and a double to right field. He scored on Jahmai Jones' single.

Memphis was starting Matthew Liberatore, the No. 25 prospect per MLBPipeline.com.

Kyle Bradish tried to keep the combined no-hitter alive, but Alec Burleson singled with two outs in the eighth. Bradish allowed one hit, walked one and struck out five in three scoreless innings.

Kelvin Gutierrez homered for the Tides.

Double-A Bowie's Kyle Brnovich allowed two runs and struck out seven batters in five innings. Zach Watson hit his fourth and fifth home runs for the Baysox.

Single-A Delmarva's Jean Pinto allowed one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings and has a 2.45 ERA.