ARLINGTON -- Right-hander Andrew Hutchison has joined the casting call for the Rangers' 2019 rotation, but his first audition did not go as well as hoped.
Hutchison, who agreed to a contract with the club on Saturday night, lasted only three innings in a 9-6 loss to the Orioles on Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Park. The loss spoiled the Rangers' bid for a four-game series sweep.
Hutchison was making his first Major League appearance since May 30 with the Phillies and his first start in the Majors since Sept. 10, 2016. He gave up six runs while allowing nine of 17 batters to reach base on six hits and three walks.
"Obviously a challenge," manager Jeff Banister said. "First time with this club, first time we get to look at him in our uniform. Pitched from behind, and there were some elevated pitches that got hit. Had some long counts, lack of two-strike putaway which got him in trouble. We have seen better stuff and expect it. This is not indicative of what we have seen in the past."
The big blows were a three-run home run by Austin Wynns, the Orioles' No. 9 hitter, in the second inning -- following a go-ahead single by Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos in the bottom of the first -- and a two-run shot by Mark Trumbo in the third. That was the first of two home runs hit by Trumbo on the afternoon.

"Obviously a disappointing day today," Hutchison said. "I didn't pitch very well, you move on from it and get on with the next one. Pitch execution, poor command, too many balls up in the zone. When you do things like that, those are the results you are going to have. Guys scoring twice and taking the lead, giving it back is something you can't do."
O's starter Yefry Ramirez had a shorter afternoon than Hutchison. The Rangers scored five runs off him in the first two innings, but then their offense was silenced by the Orioles' bullpen for much of the rest of the afternoon.
The Rangers were attracted to Hutchison by his work at Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers' organization. The Dodgers signed him to a Minor League contract after he refused outright assignment with the Phillies. He made two relief appearances at Oklahoma City and then went into the rotation, going 3-0 with a 1.22 ERA in seven starts. He had a 23-inning scoreless streak over his final four starts before taking his free agency on Tuesday.

Five days later, he was starting for the Rangers at the end of a hectic week. Hutchison refused to use the sudden change of status as an excuse for what happened on Sunday.
"I am not going to blame anything on this week," Hutchison said. "It comes down to me not being good enough and needing to be better."
He will likely get one more start on Saturday against the Yankees. The Rangers will likely use the addition of Hutchison to get their other five starters extra rest.
"We'll get through today," Banister said. "Obviously, we dropped him in a spot so we could put some length between our starters, give these guys extra days and make decisions."
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Matt Moore was doing a good job in long relief, but he elected not to pitch around Trumbo with two out and a runner at second base in the seventh. Moore got ahead, 1-2, in the count, but then Trumbo hit a fastball over the left-field wall for his second two-run home run to give the Orioles a 9-5 lead.
"It's been a while since anyone pitched around me," Trumbo said. "But for whatever reason, I've been getting into two strikes a lot lately and still getting some hits, and that's kinda what happened there. I got a pitch, put some good wood on it."
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Elvis Andrus extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a two-out triple in the first inning. It is the longest active streak in the Major Leagues and ties for the longest of his career. He ended up scoring on Chirinos' two-run single.

HE SAID IT
"Our offense today, we had nine walks. We put some runs on the board early, guys were doing a good job. The challenge was once we got behind, they were able to match up with us today with all our lefties in the lineup." -- Banister
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
Jonathan Villar tried to steal second after a leadoff single in the third and he was thrown out by catcher Chirinos. But the Orioles challenged the call and it was overturned after a review. After viewing all relevant angles, the replay official definitively determined Villar touched second base prior to the tag. Villar ended up scoring on Trumbo's first two-run home run.

UP NEXT
Rangers left-hander Martin Perez will start the series opener against the Mariners at 7:05 p.m. CT on Monday at Globe Life Park. Perez is winless in four starts since coming off the disabled list despite a 3.47 ERA. He allowed two runs in seven innings in a 7-4 win over the Mariners on April 22, and he is 7-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 16 starts and two relief appearances over his career against them. Kyle Seager is a career .348 hitter against Perez, and his four home runs are the most off the lefty by any opponent. Left-hander Wade LeBlanc starts for the Mariners.