Rough stretch to have ripple effect on O's staff

NEW YORK -- The pitching had been an early-season surprise for the Orioles, how well they were able to do with a rotation no one was too sure of and a bullpen that's currently missing closer Zach Britton.
But the past two games have shown cracks, and none more notable than the continued issues for Orioles starter Ubaldo Jiménez, who was unable to go at least five innings for the fourth time in five games Saturday and set the tone in the O's 12-4 loss to the Yankees.
"He's not the only one who didn't pitch well today, and he's not the only one who's had a tough start," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Jimenez, who surrendered a season-high seven runs (six earned). "But it certainly seems to be magnified because he's had his ups and downs."
Jimenez has gone 3 1/3 innings in back-to-back outings and raised his season ERA to 7.47. But a closer look at the O's staff is necessary. Lefty relievers Vidal Nuño and Jayson Aquino allowed runs in both games to open the series vs. the Yankees, and both were optioned to Triple-A Norfolk following Saturday's game. And the typically rock solid Brad Brach suffered his first blown save on Friday. The bullpen, which gave up nine runs in Friday's walk-off loss, surrendered another five on Saturday.
"The thing about it is our pitchers have kept us in the game, for the most part, this entire month. They've really been the main reason why we are in the spot we are in," Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph said of a staff that has allowed 26 runs in two games. "So we are not going to hit the panic button or try to reinvent the wheel with these guys. It's two rough games."
Perhaps it is. But the ripple effect of two rough games will be at least one fresh arm added on Sunday and a lot of pressure on lefty Wade Miley to go deep in his start. The O's don't have a starter for Tuesday yet, they don't have an off-day until May 15, and they are trying to keep their five-man bench intact, which may be impossible if they're constantly having to rotate another arm for more pitching.
"It's not magnified [when guys like Aquino and Nuno struggle], but [it is] when you know they can't pitch the next couple of days and you're going to need arms because you get short starts," Showalter said. "[Friday starter Kevin Gausman] really should have been able to pitch in that seventh inning last night, and that's kind of where it didn't get done."