Losing streak now an imperfect 10
14-run defeat is season’s most lopsided for O’s
In losing their 10th straight game Saturday in a season-worst 16-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, the Orioles again continued one of their most miserable stretches of the season in a manner that suggests it won’t end anytime soon.
“We haven’t pitched very well as of late,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re not scoring a ton of runs either. We’ve got to do a better job.”
Starter Jorge López allowed four runs before recording an out, surrendering a run on a wild pitch and a three-run homer by All-Star Rafael Devers. He gave up seven runs in 3 ⅓ innings, and he wasn’t the only Orioles pitcher to allow seven runs Saturday.
Reliever Adam Plutko, whose shocking stretch of outings now features six straight games allowing a home run, gave up two homers this time while recording two outs and allowing seven runs.
César Valdez allowed a home run of his own in 1 ⅓ innings of relief, and after a clean seventh inning from Dillon Tate, catcher Austin Wynns took the mound in the eighth and allowed a home run to Hunter Renfroe.
The Orioles’ pitching staff has allowed 98 runs over this 10-game losing streak, which dropped them to 38-77 entering Sunday’s series finale in Boston.
“It’s really difficult,” López said of the losing streak. “It’s not easy. I’ve been through that before when I was in Kansas City, and it’s tough.
“We’ve just got to keep playing our game, just come in every day [for a] new game. We’ve just got to keep together, concentrate on the little things and just move forward.”