Orioles suffer team-record 108th loss
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles trudged off the field following a historic loss, still not absorbing that they are part of one of the worst teams in franchise history.
The Orioles lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 on Tuesday. It was the team’s 108th loss, the most in a season since arriving in Baltimore in 1954.
“You’re either playing in October or you’re not,” manager Buck Showalter said. “But these types of things make people think how far away you are. Like I said before, those things can change quickly. A lot of things can get better.”
The 1988 Orioles opened the season 0-21 and held the previous record for losses with a 54-107 finish. The overall franchise record for defeats is 111 set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns – a mark that could also be eclipsed by this year’s team.
The Orioles led 4-2 in the seventh before a throwing error by third baseman Steve Wilkerson on a grounder by Teoscar Hernandez allowed two runs to score. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed with a two-RBI single off reliever Paul Fry that provided the margin of victory.
Gurriel has reached base safely in 34 of his last 38 starts, batting .316 in that stretch.
“I’ve noticed that (pitchers) changed a little bit, the way they approach me, and they are a little bit more careful,” Gurriel said through an interpreter. “But I have to do the same thing on my side to make adjustments. But I hit the ball hard lately, as well. I knew that was going to happen.”
Dylan Bundy (8-15) started strong for the Orioles before being lifted with two outs in the seventh when the game unraveled. He was charged with five runs (two earned) and seven hits and six strikeouts. Bundy did not allow a home run for the first time since June 23, a span of 13 consecutive starts.
“The season ain’t over yet, so I haven’t really wrapped my head around it yet,” Bundy said about the 108 losses. “I haven’t really thought about it too much. Just try to show up to work every day and get better.”
Reliever Jake Petricka (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings. Tyler Clippard held the Orioles down in the eighth, setting up Ken Giles to earn his 23rd save.
“Sometimes you win ugly, sometimes you win pretty,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.
Cedric Mullins led off the first inning with his fourth home run.
The Orioles extended the lead to 4-0 off Aaron Sanchez in the fourth. Trey Mancini led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Breyvic Valera. Mancini was initially called out but a review showed he touched the plate before catcher Reese McGuire applied the tag. DJ Stewart followed with his first career single and Chris Davis scored on a throwing error by right fielder Billy McKinney. Stewart scored on a throwing error by Sanchez.
“You run through things many times in your head about how you think it’s going to go, but that’s the great thing about this game,” Stewart said about his first hit. “You never know what it will bring you and I’m just happy I got it done.”
The Blue Jays got on the board in the fifth on an RBI single by Dwight Smith Jr. A fielder’s choice by Justin Smoak an inning later cut the margin to 4-2.