Chayce McDermott allowed three runs over four innings, but the bullpen allowed the go-ahead runs in a 6-3 loss to Miami.
The Orioles appeared to finally have some momentum after Colton Cowser cleared the bases with a game-tying double in the sixth, but the bullpen killed the vibes in a hurry. Baltimore allowed three runs in the seventh inning, and the Marlins spoiled Chayce McDermott’s debut with a 6-3 home victory.
McDermott appeared confident and up to the task early in the game. The rookie retired Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a first pitch fastball. Gunnar Henderson helped out the 25-year-old with a diving stop for the second out, and McDermott forced Jake Burger to pop out for a clean first inning.
McDermott did not panic after facing some adversity in the second. Josh Bell jumped a first pitch heater for a single to right, and McDermott lost Jesús Sánchez after he worked the count full. McDermott battled back with a low fastball to generate a 4-6-3 double play, and he struck out Nick Gordon to end the threat with a runner in scoring position.
The 25-year-old picked up where he left off with a strikeout to start the third inning. McDermott retired Chisholm again with a high fastball, and Bryan De La Cruz popped out to end the third.
Unfortunately, Baltimore’s bats failed to spot the rookie an early lead. Cowser ledoff the third with the club’s first hit, and Gunnar Henderson put a runner in scoring position with a two-out walk, but Adley Rutschman struck out on three pitches to end the frame.
Things unraveled quickly for McDermott in the fourth. The righty struck out Burger for the first out, but Josh Bell put the Marlins on the board with a 414 foot blast to right-center field. Statcast classified the pitch as a slider, but the ball hung over the middle of the plate.
Unfortunately, McDermott failed to minimize the damage. Sánchez fought back from an 0-2 hole to single on the eighth pitch of his at bat. Otto Lopez followed with a first pitch single, and Xavier Edwards plated the second run on Miami’s fourth consecutive hit.
With runners on the corners, Gordon managed a sacrifice fly after an uncompetitive throw by Cowser in left. McDermott put an end to the inning with a grounder to third, but he did not return for the fifth inning. His final line read 4 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR. He threw 52 of 82 pitches for strikes.
Cole Irvin made quick work of Miami with a scoreless fifth, and the Orioles offense finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Anthony Santander punched a one-out single, and Ryan O’Hearn advanced him to third with a single of his own. Heston Kjerstad walked to load the bases with only one out.
Jordan Westburg followed Baltimore’s recent blueprint with a pop out behind home plate, but Cowser bucked the trend. The lefty got a changeup over the heart of the plate and hooked it down the right field line for a three-run double. After failing to solve the struggling Edward Cabrera for five innings, the Orioles had a brand new ball game with momentum on their side.
Jacob Webb delivered a shutdown inning in the sixth, but Brandon Hyde sent him back out for the seventh inning. Cionel Pérez replaced Webb after a leadoff single and the wheels fell off after that. The Marlins attempted to hand Baltimore an out, but Pérez eliminated the need for a bunt with a wild pitch. Pérez walked Gordon to place two on with nobody out, and Miami successfully executed a bunt to put two runners in scoring position.
Chisholm stepped up and spiked a sinker into the ground, but the ball bounced above a jumping Ramón Urías. Both runners scored, and Chisholm made it to second base with a 5-3 advantage. De La Cruz followed with an RBI single to right that all but crushed Baltimore’s chances.
Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman combined to go 0-for-7 from the top of the order. The Orioles finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Cabrera entered the game with a 7.36 ERA, but the Orioles never provided McDermott a cushion.
The game marked Baltimore’s third consecutive loss. The Orioles will look to avoid a sweep with Corbin Burnes on the mound tomorrow afternoon.