Two rain delays and lost three-run lead ruin Orioles' final game of road trip (Means starts Tuesday)

BOSTON – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde stood on the soaked infield grass earlier today with a member of the Red Sox’s grounds crew who held a tablet, presumably immune to water damage, and tracked the latest storm in the Boston area. The tarp was rolled up and rain kept falling with an uncomfortable intensity while workers filled shovels with a drying compound. Some players jogged and stretched in the outfield. Fans were invited onto the warning track for a pregame ceremony.

Hyde came out of the dugout again following the anthem. Game status hadn’t changed. The ceremonial first pitch was done with the mound and plate covered. A minor inconvenience.

Adley Rutschman stepped into the batter’s box after a 42-minute delay. The teams were playing, with the smart money on the mudders.

The Orioles usually shine in any weather, but they couldn’t hold an early three-run lead and Grayson Rodriguez lasted only 4 1/3 innings in a 7-3 loss to the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 31,295 at Fenway Park.

The game was halted with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and Joey Krehbiel pitching after another downpour. This delay lasted one hour and 28 minutes, and it took nine minutes to finish. The tarp and patience were stretched. Only one returned to its normal position.

"It was definitely a tough way to start the game," Hyde said. "I haven't seen that very much. Played in terrible conditions all day today, unfortunately. The best conditions were the last four outs.

"If they wanted to start the game in that type of environment, they got it. And unfortunately we just didn't play very well today."

The winning streak ended at seven, with the Orioles (90-52) going 7-2 on the road trip. Tampa Bay beat the Mariners 6-3 and moved within three games of first place.

For magic number followers, it remains five games for the Orioles to clinch a playoff berth.

On a happier note, Hyde confirmed that John Means is starting Tuesday night against the Cardinals. His return from Tommy John surgery is official.

"Looking forward to it," Hyde said, "and I know he's excited and ready to go."

Triston Casas hit a three-run homer off Cole Irvin with two outs in the sixth inning to expand the lead to 7-3. Rafael Devers had reached on an error, his ground ball going through first baseman Ryan O’Hearn's legs. All three runs off Irvin were unearned.

The Orioles wanted to break out the brooms, but shovels and rakes were more practical.

Grayson Rodriguez stranded two runners in the bottom of the first inning and the grounds crew raced onto the field for another round of slinging in the rain. O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins singled to begin the second. Mullins stole second base as Austin Hays struck out, and Aaron Hicks reached on an infield hit for a 1-0 lead.

With that single, Hicks had 10 hits in his last 19 at-bats over six games.

Adam Frazier lined a two-run triple down the right field line, the ball caroming off the fence and away from Alex Verdugo. The play was ruled a single and two-base error before a late change.

Frazier pulled into third base. The Orioles pulled further away from the Red Sox, but they’re now 53-16 after scoring first.

There was a brief stoppage when Mullins dived into second as Hays fouled off a pitch prior to the strikeout. Head athletic trainer Brian Ebel rushed to Mullins with a towel, using it to wipe mud from his face.

Rodriguez usually brings filthy stuff, but he put at least two runners on base in each of the first four innings. He struck out three batters in the second to keep the Red Sox scoreless, allowed a leadoff walk and single in the third, and saw a 3-0 lead reduced to 3-2 after third baseman Ramón Urías failed to backhand Trevor Story’s ground ball with two outs.

Luis Urías led off the fourth with a double and scored the tying run on Reese McGuire’s first triple of the season. McGuire came home on Rafael Devers’ infield hit, a line drive off Ramón Urías’ glove.

The play was as sloppy as the conditions.

The Orioles committed three errors, including Rutschman's throw into center field on Ceddanne Rafaela's stolen base after play resumed. They made five errors in the last two games.

"I don't expect that to really happen again," Rodriguez said. "Our defense has been one of our better things about this team. It's just one of those things. Obviously, the field conditions weren't right, so makes it really tough on them. A lot of wet baseballs, a lot of weird bounces. That's not something that you should expect from them."

Hyde removed Rodriguez after Verdugo’s leadoff double in the fifth and a groundout. Rodriguez allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing since May 26.

"I thought Grayson was fine," Hyde said. "We didn't really help him out much. Unbelievable tough conditions to pitch in with the wet mound, raining almost the entire time during his outing."

"They were some different conditions," Rodriguez said. "Felt like my first time in Fenway would have been a little bit drier, but it's just something you have to deal with."

Adam Frazier led off the fifth with a bloop single against Brayan Bello and was thrown out at second base. Rutschman doubled with two outs and was stranded.

Reliever Josh Winckowski struck out the side in the sixth. Urías’ leadoff walk in the eighth was unrewarded. Just like the teams' confidence in getting a break from the weather.

"We just went 7-2 on the trip, didn't play very well the first one, didn't play very well in the last one," Hyde said. "We played seven excellent games and super happy and proud of what we did on this trip.

"Today wasn't our best day but really happy with how we've been playing."

* Hyde didn't have an update on Jordan Westburg, who came out of yesterday's game in the seventh inning with what's believed to be general soreness.

* Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Cade Povich struck out nine batters in 5 2/3 innings and allowed only an unearned run and two hits. He walked four batters.

Coby Mayo hit his 10^th homer, a three-run shot in the third inning. Jackson Holliday singled, doubled, walked twice and drove in a run. Colton Cowser singled twice and had two RBIs. Joseph Rosa drove in three runs. Heston Kjerstad singled twice.

Billy Cook hit his 24^th home run for Double-A Bowie. Donta’ Williams had two RBIs. Anthony Servideo hit his second Baysox homer.

High-A Aberdeen’s Ryan Higgins hit his sixth home run.

The Orioles are promoting catcher Samuel Basallo, their No. 5 prospect, from High-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie, per a source. MLB Pipeline ranks Basallo as the No. 46 prospect.

Basallo, 19, is moving up to his third affiliate. He's slashing a combined .307/.398/.547 with 25 doubles, six triples, 20 home runs and 84 RBIs in 110 games.

Basallo had two more hits, including a triple.

Pitcher Seth Johnson, who's recovered from Tommy John surgery, also is joining the Baysox. The Orioles acquired him from the Rays in the three-team Trey Mancini deal.

Johnson is ranked as the Orioles' No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 20 by Baseball America.

The Baltimore Banner first reported the promotions.