O's shell-shocked after blowing 8-0 lead: 'Baseball just did its thing'

TAMPA – It was a wild Wednesday night – a catastrophe, really – and the Orioles hardly knew how to describe what occurred at Steinbrenner Field.

In the clubhouse, it was mostly hushed tones and shell-shocked expressions. After the Orioles blew an early eight-run lead, they slipped into full meltdown mode and fell to the Rays, 12-8. There was talk of the horrendous result being just one game, an outcome that will quickly be forgotten.

If only it was that easy.

The Orioles led 8-0 in the second.

It was tied 8-8 in the fifth.

The Rays won it with a four-run seventh.

The Rays scored 12 unanswered runs. The Orioles didn’t get a hit (and had only one baserunner) after the second inning.

“I couldn’t explain it, even if I tried,’’ center fielder Cedric Mullins said. “Baseball just did its thing.’’

Did it ever.

The Orioles seemingly blew it open with their most productive inning of the season – an eight-run second that featured three home runs and finished off Rays starter Taj Bradley after just 1 1/3 innings. Colton Cowser and Ramón Laureano each hit a three-run homer, while Mullins delivered a solo shot.

But the Rays chipped away, first taking advantage of control issues from left-handed starter Trevor Rogers, who departed after a 71-pitch, 43-strike performance over 2 1/3 innings. When the Rays got three runs in the third, Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said he had a weird feeling.

“I think momentum is a real thing,’’ Mansolino said. “It didn’t feel good when that thing was 8-3, when we had to pull Trev [Rogers]. I told Rob [bench coach Robinson Chirinos], ‘This doesn’t feel good right now.’ Momentum is a thing.’’

The Rays got a single run in the fourth, then tied it with a four-run fifth as reliever Yennier Cano surrendered a two-run triple to Taylor Walls and a two-out, full-count, two-run pinch-hit homer to Brandon Lowe.

From an 8-0 perch, the Orioles were now tied 8-8. That snowball continued in the seventh, when the Rays scored four runs off reliever Andrew Kittredge – all with two outs. Junior Caminero (4-for-5) and Josh Lowe each had an RBI single, then Jonathan Aranda collected a two-run single.

It was the first time the Orioles blew a lead of eight or more runs since April 28, 2017, when they led the Yankees 9-1 before losing 14-11 in 10 innings.

“Somebody has to stop it,’’ Kittredge said. “Everybody’s going out there trying to be that guy. The hit with two outs [by Yandy Díaz] just kind of squeaks through there. That kind of started it. I thought I made some good pitches after that, but some pitches found holes. Unfortunately, it just really didn’t go our way.’’

“We just couldn’t stop the bleeding,’’ Mansolino said. “What was crazy was some relievers came in and got a couple of quick outs right away, and then a walk, maybe a cheap hit and then – boom – a double. Tough night, no doubt. … It hurts. This one really hurts. But we’ve got to bounce back and figure out how to win [Thursday].’’

After Laureano’s three-run homer in the second off reliever Kevin Kelly, the Orioles didn’t get another hit. In fact, 23 of the last 24 Baltimore batters didn’t reach base (the exception being Cowser, who was hit by a pitch leading off the sixth).

Meanwhile, the Orioles came in with MLB’s second-lowest bullpen ERA (1.76) since May 24, but no reliever was especially effective this time. Rogers, called up from Triple-A Norfolk, looked great in the first inning, then came apart.

“Guys give me an eight-run lead, I’ve got to do a better job of attacking the strike zone,’’ Rogers said. “A lot of weak contact found holes. A couple of walks hurt me. Just a very frustrating day.’’

Rogers found himself in the clubhouse watching the game inexplicably slip away on television.

“It’s just baseball,’’ Rogers said. “I can probably count on both hands how many ground ball hits they had finding holes. Super frustrating because you know every guy [reliever] wants to shut it down and get the momentum back to our side. Super frustrating. Just one of those days, unfortunately.’’