O's start strong, fizzle late after 'pen, RISP woes

BALTIMORE -- Another Gunnar Henderson leadoff home run had the red-hot Orioles on the right track to a sweep early Sunday afternoon.

A shorthanded bullpen and an inability to capitalize in big spots offensively resulted in Baltimore having to settle for a series win over American League East rival Tampa Bay instead.

The O’s couldn’t complete a three-game sweep of the Rays at Camden Yards, taking a 4-3 loss in the series finale. Baltimore fell despite recording a season-high-tying 15 hits, marking the first time this year it has lost a game in which it has outhit its opponent (15-13).

“We just had so many opportunities to score,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Yeah, we were definitely going to be short in the 'pen today, and hopefully, we were going to be able to add on. We got 15 hits, just didn’t get the hits with runners in scoring position today, and those things happen. We had opportunities there late to extend the lead or get the lead back and just didn’t come through today.”

All of the ingredients were there for another well-played win for the Orioles (37-20), who had been victorious in eight of their previous nine games.

Henderson opened the bottom of the first inning with a home run off the second pitch of the day from Rays starter Zack Littell -- his 19th long ball of the season and his MLB-high sixth to come in leadoff fashion. The Statcast-projected 420-foot blast was also the second of Henderson’s career to land on Eutaw Street at Camden Yards.

“Gunnar gets to everybody,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said of the Baltimore shortstop, who reached base in all five of his plate appearances.

Orioles starter Cole Irvin allowed two runs and scattered eight hits over a quality 6 1/3-inning outing. The 30-year-old left-hander has a 2.61 ERA in nine starts this season, and each of the previous seven had resulted in Baltimore wins.

Irvin was helped out by his defense, most notably via an incredible leaping catch from center fielder Cedric Mullins to rob Jonny DeLuca in the fifth inning.

“[Catcher James] McCann called a great game, defense behind me was incredible and the offense was there,” Irvin said.

If the O’s had either of their top right-handed setup men available -- Yennier Cano and Jacob Webb -- they perhaps would have closed it out for a win. But both had pitched each of the previous two days, so Hyde stuck with Dillon Tate, who recorded the final two outs of the seventh before returning to the mound for the eighth.

Tate allowed consecutive singles to Isaac Paredes and Amed Rosario to open the inning, and then yielded the biggest hit of the day -- a two-run double to right-center field by Jose Siri that gave the Rays a 4-3 lead.

“I don’t think it was in the best spot, to be honest with you, and he hit it hard,” Tate said. “I just wasn’t good at my job today. Ultimately, if I do what I need to do right there, the outcome could be different.”

Baltimore had a prime opportunity to respond in the bottom of the eighth when it loaded the bases with one out. But Ryan Mountcastle hit into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play on the first pitch he saw from left-hander Garrett Cleavinger.

Thirteen of the Orioles’ 15 hits were singles, and they left 13 men on base while going 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Three games into a stretch of 30 contests in 31 days, Baltimore might soon need to bolster its bullpen with a fresh arm. It also needs to get some slumping hitters -- such as Mullins, who is now batting .181 -- to heat up.

Still, the O’s went 4-2 on the homestand, taking two of three from both the Red Sox and Rays. They’ve either won or split 19 consecutive series vs. AL East opponents, and they’ll have the opportunity to extend that streak during an eight-game road trip vs. Toronto and Tampa Bay that begins Monday night against the Blue Jays.

“It’s kind of weird for us to not really put that many runs up on the board with that many hits,” Mullins said. “It’s kind of one of those days. The series went well. We’ll take that momentum into Toronto, and then we’ll see Tampa [Bay] again at their place.”