Orioles Let Another Win Slip Away, Drop Series to Cardinals
The Baltimore Orioles missed another opportunity to secure a series win, falling 6-4 to the St. Louis Cardinals at Camden Yards. A strong start unraveled in frustrating fashion as Cade Povich faltered midway through the game.
Baltimore jumped ahead early, scoring three runs in the second inning. Ryan O’Hearn led off with a single, followed by another from Ramón Urías. Cedric Mullins then bunted to advance the runners, but a defensive miscue allowed O’Hearn to score. Mullins stole second, and Maverick Handley brought in Urías with a grounder. Jackson Holliday capped the inning with a double that drove in Mullins, giving the Orioles a 3-0 lead.
Povich was sharp early, striking out five in the first three innings, including fanning the side in the third. But things unraveled in the fourth. After allowing two hits, he struck out one batter but then walked another to load the bases. He nearly escaped the jam, but Jordan Walker’s two-out single narrowed the lead. Povich walked another batter but struck out Victor Scott to end the inning.
The Orioles added a run in the bottom of the fourth. Mullins singled and Handley got his second big-league hit. Carlson then drove in a run, pushing the lead to 4-2. However, the offense stalled. Holliday, Rutschman, and Henderson failed to capitalize with runners on. Despite Holliday’s strong night (3-for-5), Rutschman and Henderson went hitless in a combined 10 at-bats.
The momentum shifted in the fifth. Povich gave up a pair of doubles and a home run, and the Cardinals took a 5-4 lead. Though he notched nine strikeouts, Povich was tagged for five runs in less than five innings.
Reliever Matt Bowman held the line through the sixth, but after giving up a leadoff double in the seventh, Andrew Kittredge gave up an RBI hit that extended the Cardinals’ lead to 6-4.
In the ninth, Baltimore had a shot to rally. Holliday and Mountcastle reached base, but O’Hearn grounded out to end the game.
The Orioles had a real chance to sweep or win this series but ended up with just one victory. While there were moments of promise, the loss underscores the ongoing challenges for a team still struggling to reach the .500 mark this season.
