Open This Enns First

Interim Manager Tony Mansolino opted to go with an opener and bulk innings pitcher combination on Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox (74-60). That decision was looking good until the ninth inning when the bullpen surrendered two runs, resulting in a 3-2 loss by the Baltimore Orioles.

Dietrich Enns was the opener and was tagged for a lead-off homerun by Boston’s Roman Anthony. Enns did overcome that speed bump and gave the Orioles 2.2 innings on 34 pitches (22 K’s). He allowed just the one run on 2 hits with 3 strikeouts before turning the game over to Roansy Contreras.

Contreras, in his Orioles debut, hit the first batter he faced, Boston’s Alex Bregman. He escaped further damage in the third inning and proceeded to scatter 3 hits over 4.1 innings while walking 1 and striking out 2.

Keegan Akin (4-4) was called upon to hold a 2-1 lead in the eighth after Contreras walked the lead-off batter and allowed a single, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Two strikeouts and a forceout got Akin and the Orioles out of that mess. Akin came back out for the ninth and the results were not as stellar. A lead-off single by Jarren Duran preceded a two run homerun to left field by Ceddanne Rafaela, giving Boston a 3-2 lead, a lead that became the final score when the Orioles went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the ninth. All three outs were strikeouts at the hands of Aroldis Chapman.

Regarding the decision to have Akin pitch the ninth, Mansolino said, “So the first two hitters, Duran and Rafaela, historically and this year much better against right-handed pitching. Significantly better. So lefties are the play on him. Akin’s neutral. The idea was to get through those two guys with Akin and then most likely they would have pinch-hit one of the righties, probably Romy Gonzalez right there for Lowe, at which point we had Rico Garcia up.” He further added, “We felt very comfortable with it. Just didn’t work out.”

Baltimore’s offense generated just five hits in the game, two of which came in the final seven innings. Coby Mayo‘s two out single in the second inning became the Orioles’ first run when Dylan Beavers doubled to short center field. Rafaela ran down the ball and made a diving catch only to drop the ball when he hit the ground; he appeared to land awkwardly on his right wrist, causing his glove to roll over and the ball to pop out.

Baltimore took a 2-1 lead in the seventh when Beavers worked a walk with two outs and scored on Dylan Carlson‘s double to the center field wall. Carlson’s hit landed between Boston outfielders Duran and Rafaela as each appeared to assume the other was going to catch it.

Beavers went 2 for 2 with a run scored, 1 RBI and a walk.

Jeremiah Jackson went 1 for 3 with a double and is riding a seven game hitting streak.

BOX SCORE

2025 Record: 60-73

Next Game: Thurs. 8/28 @ 1:05 pm vs. Boston Red Sox