Baltimore Orioles fans stand, distanced because of coronavirus regulations for the first of a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Fri., April 23, 2021. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff) (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)
A middle-inning rally was enough to prevent the Orioles from suffering their second straight shutout defeat, but the wasted opportunities that came with it loomed large in a 3-1 loss Friday at Camden Yards to the streaking Oakland Athletics.
Baltimore’s best chance to end Oakland’s winning streak at 11 came in the sixth inning. As the A’s built a three-run lead against Jorge López, left-handed starter Cole Irvin kept the Orioles scoreless over the first five innings, but three straight singles by Trey Mancini, Maikel Franco and DJ Stewart loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth.