Pirates swept in Baltimore to run losing streak to 6 games

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo delivered his longest outing of the season Thursday afternoon at Camden Yards in Baltimore, but the Orioles made a late charge to hand the Pirates their sixth straight loss 3-2.

Oviedo struggled through the first two innings of his sixth start, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk. The 27-year-old settled in, however, and retired six straight batters across the third and fourth innings. He escaped jams in the fifth and sixth, with a little help from reliever Colin Holderman in the latter.

Oviedo exited after throwing 86 pitches, the most he’s thrown this season. He struck out five while allowing five hits, two earned runs and three walks.

“I felt like I battled the whole game,” Oviedo said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “I have to eliminate the walks. I have to be a little bit better than that. But other than that, I’m thankful that I am healthy. The only negative part about today was just the loss.”

Oviedo started the year with hopes of cracking the Opening Day roster. He was set to return from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2024 season but suffered a right lat strain during spring training. That forced him to start the season on the 60-day injured list and work his way back to the major leagues.

After making eight starts across four minor-league levels, including three with Triple-A Indianapolis, where he produced a 2.63 ERA and struck out 20, Oviedo made his season debut Aug. 4.

He struggled in his first start and was sent back down to Indianapolis because of roster management before being called back up Aug. 20. Since then, he’s produced a 2.61 ERA over 25²⁄₃ innings while striking out 29 and limiting hitters to a .176 batting average.

“He’s throwing the ball extremely well,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “To have the season that he had two years ago and throw the ball like he did, that last start that he made (in 2023), he had to have had a torn ligament in his elbow. Just the way he’s gone about it, he’s a physical presence out there. He commanded the ball really well today and has shown that since he’s been back. The sustained stuff throughout his start today was really encouraging.”

Oviedo has consistently increased his pitch count over his six starts, often topping out in the mid-70s, but Kelly said his starter was pushed to the limit Thursday. His three walks contributed to the longer innings in the first, second, fifth and sixth, but where he currently stands is a positive note moving forward.

“It’s inspiring, and this definitely gives you a lot of hope,” Oviedo said. “This is one of the best groups of guys that I’ve ever worked with. So, it’s really exciting what can come out of this. We just have to keep helping each other out, and hopefully the result will come how it is expected.”

Despite their third straight loss to the Orioles, the Pirates did produce some early offense. They scored one run in the first inning, and Alexander Canario hit his sixth home run of the year in the third. They also outhit the Orioles, 9-7.

However, the Pirates failed to convert in crucial situations. They went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base.

Third baseman Jared Triolo, who went 2 for 4 with a triple after an 0-for-8 start in the series, scored in the first inning after a leadoff single. He was then stranded on third base in the third inning. First baseman Nick Yorke was also stranded at third in the fifth inning.

Tommy Pham, Liover Peguero and Nick Gonzales were stranded at second base in the game. The Pirates have struggled in those situations during their most recent losing streak as they haven’t produced consistently and have often committed errors on the basepaths.

Peguero was picked off of first base ahead of Triolo’s triple, and Gonzales was caught trying to advance to second on his RBI single in the first inning.

“We need to run the bases better. We need to situational hit better,” Kelly said. “Just the way this series shook out, three one-run losses and some frustrating times, we need to be better overall. I thought today, our approach at the plate was better, as far as going the other way, finding ways to stay on the ball, but that big base hit with runners in scoring position continues to elude us in these close games.”

Holderman escaped a jam in the sixth and handed it over to left-hander Evan Sisk in the seventh after allowing a single to second baseman Jackson Holliday and intentionally walking shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

Baltimore left fielder Dylan Beavers, who delivered the winning hit in extra innings Wednesday, drove home Holliday with a ground ball to Gonzales. The ball bounced off Gonzales’ glove in shallow right field, allowing Holliday to score from second in the two-out situation and take the 3-2 lead.

The Pirates next visit Washington for a three-game set. Right-hander Mitch Keller (6-14, 4.16 ERA) is set to start Friday’s game.