PITTSBURGH — The Orioles’ slumping offense managed just two runs Sunday, and that total appeared to be enough to eke out a win over the Pirates.
But setup man Yennier Cano, who was tasked with closing Sunday with Craig Kimbrel unavailable, allowed two runs in the ninth to blow the save as the Orioles lost, 3-2, to the Pirates. The walk-off loss was the second straight for Baltimore after losing in such fashion in 11 innings Saturday.
Cano loaded the bases without recording an out and nearly escaped the jam, but a ground ball by Edward Olivares brought home two runs. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson nearly turned a web gem double play to win the game, diving near second base to snag the grounder and tag the bag. But his throw to first was wide and got past Ryan Mountcastle, allowing Connor Joe to score the winning run.
Cano allowed singles to Ke’Bryan Hayes and Jack Suwinski to lead off the ninth and walked Joe to load the bases.
Starter Dean Kremer twirled seven masterful innings of one-run ball and his defense backed him up with several highlight plays. It was the best start by a member of Baltimore’s rotation since ace Corbin Burnes’ 11-strikeout opening day.
The only run Kremer allowed scored because of his own error in the fourth inning. Other than that one flub, the 28-year-old right-hander was nearly flawless, surrendering just five hits and no walks with six strikeouts. Kremer, in his fifth big league season, pounded the zone with his five-pitch mix to keep Pittsburgh’s hitters off-balance, throwing 69 of his 91 pitches for strikes.
The Orioles (5-4) had won two of three games in each of their first two series of the season before dropping this one, their first on the road. Baltimore is off Monday before traveling to Boston for both clubs’ first American League East series of the season. Tuesday is the Red Sox’s home opener.
In Saturday’s loss, the Orioles went 4-for-37 and 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Facing a left-hander again Sunday, manager Brandon Hyde sent out the same exact batting order — the first time he’s done so since June 2023 — to bounce back.
The offense continued to flounder in the early innings, managing just one hit off Marco Gonzales with several soft outs. But Baltimore’s bats woke up in the fourth with several hard-hit balls to take a 2-0 lead.
Adley Rutschman, hitting right-handed, roped a 104.3 mph single and raced around the bases to score on Mountcastle’s second double of the day, this one a 112.1 missile to left-center field. Mountcastle then scored on a 106.5 mph single by Santander.
The lineup stalled after the string of hard hits, ending the afternoon with only six knocks without a walk.
The Pirates (8-2) nearly took a 1-0 lead in the third on a scorching double off the wall by leadoff hitter Oneil Cruz, whose 11th-inning single Saturday walked it off for Pittsburgh. But Cedric Mullins perfectly played the carom off the wall and fired the ball to Jorge Mateo, who nabbed Jared Triolo at home plate as catcher James McCann quickly applied the tag.
The Kremer’s errant throw in the fifth sent Edward Olivares, who reached on a one-out single, to third, allowing him to score on Henry Davis’ sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, both of Kremer’s middle infielders flashed the leather to rob base hits. Henderson made a diving play to his left to steal a hit from Bryan Reynolds, and Mateo ranged to the shortstop side of second base, snagged a hard grounder from Hayes and fired a strike to Mountcastle at first for the out.
This story will be updated.
Orioles at Red Sox
Tuesday, 2:10 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
