Julio Urías’ blowup outing too much for Dodgers to overcome

The Dodgers had a second shot for a series sweep in this road trip, but came up short a second time, falling 8-5 to the Orioles on Wednesday afternoon in Baltimore.

What was by all accounts a favorable pitching matchup for Los Angeles did not turn out that way on the field. Julio Urías got roughed up for eight runs, with Baltimore doing its best Royals impression against the Dodgers’ starter.

After seemingly finding a groove with back-to-back quality starts following the disastrous outing in Kansas City, Urías once again had a blowup game. The Orioles ambushed the southpaw for a four-run spot in the first inning on the way to an eight-run outburst, tying the most ever allowed by Urías.

Urías probably didn’t pitch as poorly as the final line would suggest, which is not to say his 10 baserunners across five frames were anything positive. However, in that blowup first inning, Baltimore had multiple softly hit knocks and did all that damage with just a single extra-base hit.

After a one-two-three second, Urías would go on to allow runs in each of the following three innings, as once again Baltimore maximized their damage.

In the third inning, Baltimore added a pair without a single hard-hit ball, relying on a walk, and two doubles from Jordan Westburg and Ramón Urías, at 68.8 mph and 82.1 mph, respectively, off the bat.

Urías’ final inning came with the first and only home run he allowed in the game, as Gunnar Henderson blasted a solo shot to deep center.

The Dodgers got things going in the first once again, with a pair of runs on RBI knocks from Will Smith — continuing his outstanding series — and David Peralta. However, that’d be the only time LA would lead in this one.

By the third inning, the O’s were up 6-2, the Dodgers got to their former farmhand Dean Kremer for another three runs. Those came on the back of home runs from James Outman and Max Muncy, but at every turn the Orioles were quick to counter, maintaining their multi-run lead.

Kremer couldn’t quite go five for the win, but as the Dodgers had yet to face the big guns in the Orioles bullpen, Yennier Cano, and Félix Bautista came in to shut the door. Providing the bridge to those guys, Danny Coloumbe played a pivotal role, getting seven outs while allowing only one hit with three strikeouts to get through the seventh inning.

In each of the first two games of this series, Baltimore had yet to deploy either Cano or Bautista due to the circumstances of the games, and they both showed why they are one of, if not the most menacing bullpen duo in the big leagues.

Of note

With his fourth-inning homer, Outman became the first left-handed batter since they moved the wall back in Camden Yards, to hit a homer over the deepest part of the yard in left-field.

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: James Outman (12), Max Muncy (22); Gunnar Henderson (15)

WP — Danny Coulombe (3-1): 2⅓ IP, 1 hit, 3 runs

LP — Julio Urías (7-6): 5 IP, 8 hits, 8 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts

Sv — Félix Bautista (26): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout

Up next

The Dodgers will now head to a place which holds good memories for this franchise, facing the Rangers for a weekend set at Globe Life Field in Texas, the venue of LA’s last World Series title back in 2020. The first pitching matchup on Friday (5:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA) will have Tony Gonsolin going up against old friend Andrew Heaney.