As the Orioles had slowly but surely kept falling deeper below .500 this season, the consensus around the clubhouse was that the only way to get on track was to take things one game at a time.
Though it was just one game, the Orioles had a chance to secure a series win for the first time since taking two out of three against the Angels May 9-11. But old habits held true against the Cardinals May 28. Baltimore lost the series finale, 6-4. The club is 19-36 and 4-8 in the Tony Mansolino era.
Cade Povich entered his start with a 4.86 ERA, though that mark was a bit misleading. He’s had one blowup this season, when he allowed seven runs against the Reds on April 18. Aside from that outing, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound lefty had a 3.77 ERA.
His start against the Cardinals showcased the talent that made Povich a third-round draft pick and the headliner of the Orioles’ haul for Jorge López ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, but also why he has yet to completely break out for Baltimore’s rotation.
Povich dazzled in the first three innings. He struck out six batters, including punching out the side in the top of the third after being given a 3-0 lead.
While Povich faced trouble after the first batter of each of the first two innings, he responded in both instances to avoid any damage. Those innings were especially impressive given Povich’s woes this year with runners on base — opposing batters had hit .320 with four home runs.
Povich only danced with danger for so long, though. St. Louis got to him in the fourth inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and after a Nolan Arenado shallow flyout gave Povich two outs, Jordan Walker singled home a pair on a first-pitch curveball.
In the fifth frame, Povich allowed another leadoff hitter to reach base. Masyn Winn followed with an RBI double, and Brendan Donovan clubbed a two-run home run right after for a 5-4 Cardinals lead.
“Seemed like [Povich’s pitches] didn’t quite have the same life to it,” Mansolino said. “I felt they kind of got in some plus counts, put some good swings on the ball.”
After pitching well for the first three innings, Povich failed to complete five innings after three straight starts of five innings or more. His ERA grew to 5.29.
Povich relied on his sinker the most he has all season, throwing it 32 percent of the time. The results were a mixed bag, just like his outing overall. The pitch ended an at-bat resulted eight times but only resulted in an out four times. His nine strikeouts tied a season-high, but the 11 baserunners proved fatal.
“It’s tough to fall behind,” Povich said. “Don’t think I did a great job of coming back.”
Unlike how St. Louis was successful with runners in scoring position, Baltimore’s season-long struggles in those situations continued. The Orioles had 14 chances with runners in scoring position against Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas and another three against the bullpen.
“They match up guys in those situations to get guys out,” Jackson Holliday said. “It’s tough, but it’s part of the game. It’s something that we got to do a better job out. I’m sure we will.”
Holliday led off the first inning with a double and didn’t advance after that. Ryan Mountcastle doubled with one out in the third and was left stranded. With two runners on in the fourth, Holliday and Adley Rutschman flew out and Gunnar Henderson popped out.
Rutschman and Henderson, the Nos. 2 and No. 3 hitters in the Orioles’ lineup, respectively, stranded a combined 10 runners on base. After Holliday singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, the pair — with Baltimore trailing by two runs — both recorded outs.
Mountcastle walked right after to keep the Orioles’ hopes alive. Ryan O’Hearn, representing the winning run, grounded out on one pitch to end the game.
Injury Updates
Interim manager Tony Mansolino provided a couple injury updates in his pregame news conference.
– Tyler O’Neill has resumed baseball activities and could go on a rehab assignment soon, but Mansolino didn’t provide a definitive answer as to when that’ll happen. O’Neill hasn’t played since May 15 due to a left shoulder impingement.
– Mansolino had no update on Grayson Rodriguez, who has not pitched yet this season.
– Gary Sánchez (right wrist inflammation) said through a team interpreter that his recovery is progressing and that he’ll need to go on a minor league rehab.
– With Adley Rutschman avoiding a stint on the concussion injured list and the call-up of Chadwick Tromp, the Orioles still have three catchers on the roster. Mansolino said the club will “see where it goes” as far as the number of catchers on the roster for the foreseeable future.
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