The first-year manager wasn't very pleased with how his offense performed during Baltimore's 3-0 shutout loss on Sunday night.
The Baltimore Orioles have been dormant at the plate the last couple nights against the Milwaukee Brewers, suffering two-straight shutout losses with the team falling 3-0 and suffering a three-game sweep in Sunday's finale at Camden Yards.
Following the matchup, manager Craig Albernaz didn't shy away from his frustration with his lineup's showing versus the juggernaut Brewers who have consistently been the best team in MLB this season with a 98-58 overall record.
"We didn't do ourselves any favors," he told Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. "Swinging bases loaded after nine pitches not in the strike zone was shocking, and I'm embarrassed. That's not winning baseball. That's not baseball. Period."
Milwaukee's early utilization of small-ball strategy paid off in the second inning as Jake Bauers drew a walk off Baltimore right-hander Brandon Young while advancing to second base on a groundout from Christian Yelich. Rookie Cooper Pratt then drove in Bauers with a one-run single for the lead, which the Brewers never gave up.
Meanwhile, the Orioles struggled to find an answer for the Brewers' elite pitching staff headlined by ace Jacob Misiorowski who held Baltimore to a single hit and struck out four batters through three innings pitched.
As a result, William Contreras extended the lead in the fourth with a solo homer to left field. Young limited the damage, recording back-to-back strikeouts on Joey Ortiz and Yelich to end the inning.
Young would also be charged with the loss despite an otherwise solid six-inning start in which he fanned nine batters as reliever Félix Bautista surrendered an RBI single to Pratt who brought home Bauers once again in the seventh.
Colton Cowser attempted to ignite a late rally that same inning with a single while moving to second on a walk from Christian Encarnacion-Strand, but Milwaukee left-hander DL Hall came into the game and retired a pair of Orioles in Dylan Beavers and Pete Alonso.
The Orioles went hitless the rest of the way to wrap up a disappointing series overall with their slim postseason hopes now hinging on their remaining divisional faceoffs against the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees.
Besides this weekend, Baltimore had trouble finding offensive consistency against the Boston Red Sox earlier this month, being outscored 15-6 across four games.
Given the regular-season's conclusion in less than a week, the Orioles figuring out their woes at the dish will be key in salvaging whatever chances they have left.
