As a result of Thursday’s 6-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Baltimore Orioles split a four-game series with the team north of the border. Toronto’s win put a damper on the MLB debut of Baltimore’s 24-year-old southpaw prospect Cade Povich (0-1).
Povich is the highest pitching prospect selected by the Mike Elias regime to reach the Majors and did pitch well despite the numbers. Povich allowed 6 runs on 5 hits, including a Vladimir Guerrero Jr homerun in the 3rd inning, walked 4 and struck out 2 over 5.1 innings. Walks were a bug-a-boo for Povich in the loss; two walks preceded the Guerrero Jr homerun and a walk in the sixth inning partially led manager Brandon Hyde to take him out. For perspective, Povich has allowed 21 walks in 56.2 innings at Norfolk in 2024.
Adley Rutschman (2 for 4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI) did what he could to keep the Orioles in the game, hitting a solo homerun in the sixth to make the score 4-1 and a two-run homerun in the eighth to make the score 6-3.
A ninth inning, pinch hit, two-run homerun by Ryan O’Hearn (1 for 1, HR, R, 2 RBI) pulled the Orioles within one run but Kyle Stowers (0 for 1) struck out swinging to end the contest.
Baltimore was limited to only three hits before Rutschman’s first homer.
Ryan Mountcastle (1 for 4), Gunnar Henderson (1 for 3, 2B, BB) and Connor Norby (1 for 3) accounted for those hits.
Keegan Akin allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one in 2.0 innings of relief.
2024 Record: 39-22
Next Game: Fri. 6/7 @ 6:50 pm vs. Rays in Tampa Bay
