Orioles’ chances take another hit with 6-5, 10-inning loss to Brewers

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If this is playoff baseball, it sure is exciting — at least for a neutral.

It’s full of second-guessing and big calls and clutch hits. It’s a roller coaster that Orioles fans won’t remember fondly from the failed endeavors of 2023 and 2024.

No, this isn’t the postseason. But that’s how the Orioles are treating this in their minds — and with certain managerial actions — because to have any hope of making it into October, Baltimore must win as many of these final nine regular-season games as possible.

The Orioles fell short in the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Although Baltimore forced extra innings, the Orioles lost, 6-5, in the first of these do-or-die contests.

On Saturday they’ll do it all over again. And Sunday, and so forth, because until their tragic number is zero — until they’re officially eliminated — these games matter as much as the winner-take-all kind of October.

With this loss, those chances appear ever more marginal.

Fighting back in this doesn’t count for much anymore with under two weeks remaining in the season. Still, the Orioles didn’t roll over when William Contreras hit an RBI double and Christian Yelich added an RBI single to establish the Brewers’ two-run lead in the top of the ninth. Against right-hander Trevor Megill, Gunnar Henderson led off the bottom half of the frame with a single and Coby Mayo pulled his third double of the game down the left-field line.

That created a no-out, two-on situation for the middle of Baltimore’s order. And, although the Orioles struggled to plate runners earlier (apart from Pete Alonso’s three-run homer in the third), sacrifice fly balls from Samuel Basallo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand tied this game, forcing extras.

There, Sal Frelick hit the go-ahead RBI single but Milwaukee didn’t add on. That left the door open for Baltimore, but unlike in the seventh inning, manager Craig Albernaz opted against bunting.

Jeremiah Jackson swung away rather than attempting to move the automatic runner to third. Jackson struck out, and two flyouts followed to end it.

That stood in contrast to the seventh inning.

Only once in Basallo’s professional baseball career has he successfully laid down a bunt attempt. It came in 2024 when he was playing in Double-A. This young hitter, who was signed to a contract extension because of his power, is not a small-ball player.

In the seventh inning of a tie game against the Brewers, though, the Orioles asked him to try.

The outcome was part of an underwhelming scoring opportunity, which was part of an overall lack of run production when opportunities were nigh. Apart from Alonso’s game-tying three-run home run in the third inning, Baltimore’s chances came and went.

Just like Basallo’s plate appearance. He missed the first bunt attempt and fouled off the second. He fouled off a two-strike swing, then struck out. Encarnacion-Strand followed with another strikeout, and pinch hitter Rece Hinds grounded out to end the threat.

Using Hinds there also was meaningful in the top of the ninth. Playing center, Hinds attempted to cut off Contreras’ liner into the gap. Perhaps, if he had, the Orioles could’ve held Brice Turang at third. Instead, once Hinds couldn’t pick the bouncing ball, Turang scored easily from first as the go-ahead run against right-hander Rico Garcia.

The other runs came much earlier against left-hander Cade Povich. The starting pitcher, recalled Friday, allowed a slow, dribbling infield single and a walk with two outs just prior to facing Jackson Chourio. Then Povich fell behind, three balls to none. He attempted to sneak a changeup through the strike zone, but Chourio wasn’t fooled.

The young Milwaukee star blasted it for a three-run homer to center field. Alonso, however, soon matched Chourio with his own three-run shot, hit on a line to right field.