CLEVELAND -- If there is a slogan for the 2018 Orioles, whose rebuilding efforts began in full force with the trading of six players in July, it would be something to the effect of, "Auditions Welcome." Hardly a game goes by without manager Buck Showalter referencing the opportunity for a roster chock-full of unproven players. Now may not be the time for winning. But it certainly can be a time to shine.
And on Friday at Progressive Field, rookie David Hess did just that. Hess, pitching as much for the game's results as for a chance to remain in the rotation, turned in six solid innings in a series-opening 2-1 loss to the Indians.
"He was close there to [letting the game] get away from him," Showalter said. "But you look for separators in all players -- position players, what separates them -- and David, tonight, it was just his will."
The 25-year-old Hess, who has struggled to find his footing after an impressive first five starts, registered his first quality start since June 7. He held an Indians club running away with the American League Central to five hits. And he showed his moxie, working out of jams caused by his four walks and a talented lineup eager to pounce on an unproven pitcher.

Hess, who surrendered a first-inning two-run homer to Jose Ramirez -- now tied for the Major League lead with Boston's J.D. Martinez -- kept Cleveland off the board the rest of the night. One of Hess' biggest outs came to end the third inning, a bases-loaded strikeout of Yonder Alonso that kept the game in reach.
"Going forward, that's something that gives you a lot of confidence, not only to throw that pitch but for that pitch to be called to begin with," Hess said of the slider that retired Alonso. "So for [catcher] Caleb [Joseph] to have that trust in me, in that pitch, that means a lot. Going forward, I think that will show itself."
Indians starter Carlos Carrasco had a similar situation in the fourth, striking out Joey Rickard amid a dominating seven-inning outing. It continued a theme, as the O's bats couldn't touch Carrasco, who allowed three hits and retired 10 straight Orioles to end his evening in impressive fashion.
"He did a great job of hanging in there, keeping us off-balance, mixing up his pitches, and I think we were able to scratch together a few hits but weren't really able to get a run across there until late," Chris Davis, who had a second-inning single, said of Carrasco. "I'm proud of the way the guys battled, proud of the way David hung in there and really showed what he was made of. I think this time of year for us, obviously, not playing for the postseason, but really learning a lot about some of these younger guys. Seeing those guys get a chance to compete at this level and really learn on the fly, it's a lot of fun."
Baltimore did not record an extra-base hit, and didn't score until the eighth, when Trey Mancini drove in the club's lone run, charged to Andrew Miller. The loss dropped the Orioles to 50 games under .500 for the first time since finishing the 1988 season 54-107.

"Right now, there's really no question that opportunities are there," Hess said. "It's a good opportunity to go out and show what I can do. With the group of guys we have going forward, we are trying to come together as a team and really find ways to win. Any time I have an opportunity to contribute to that, it really does mean a lot to be able to do that. Really just going forward, that's what we are looking at."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Tough Cookie: The Orioles' best chance to score off Carrasco came in the fourth. After Mark Trumbo's one-out single, Renato Nunez walked with two outs and Timothy Beckham punched a ball into left field to load the bases. But Carrasco, who wouldn't allow a hit the rest of the evening, struck out Rickard on a 1-2 curveball to quash the threat.
"I thought at the time, with the pitch count we had him at, that we might [get Carrasco out of the game], but getting to their bullpen is no treat, either," Showalter said. "They've got so many weapons down there and they added to it. That's why they're in first place. They're one of the best clubs in baseball and they've got a great guy in [manager] Terry [Francona] who knows how to use the weapons. So, you get in a close game like that, you've got to get a hit."

Rickard also struck out with the tying run on second to end the game.
HE SAID IT
"It's not good. We know that it's not good. We know that every night we go out there, we've got to find something to play for and really find something to hang our hats on. For this club right now, as young as we are, having some new faces in here, that's got to be our focus to go out and learn and try to find something to build on to carry momentum into the offseason." -- Davis, on the Orioles being 50 games under .500
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Orioles challenged the call that Francisco Lindor was safe at first base in the fifth inning on a ground ball up the middle fielded by second baseman Jonathan Villar, who ranged to his right and quickly threw across his body to first. After a replay review, the call was overturned for the first out of the inning.

UP NEXT
Alex Cobb (3-15, 5.31 ERA) will look to continue his second-half resurgence on Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Seven of the righty's past 10 outings have been quality starts. He'll take the mound opposite Indians righty Adam Plutko (4-2, 4.75 ERA) in the 4:05 p.m. ET start.