Jordan Lyles was always going to give up runs. He led all major league pitchers in earned runs in the shortened 2020 season and led all AL pitchers in the same category in 2021. On Thursday night, Lyles tacked a third consecutive poor start onto his season ledger, leading to a deficit to the Royals that was just too much for the offense to overcome despite its best efforts. When all was said and done, the Orioles were 7-5 losers in the series opener.
What Lyles really needed to deliver, and could not, was a shutdown inning. An early Orioles lead evaporated the next half-inning.