Having received praise from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde for getting by without his best stuff after his previous start, rookie left-hander Keegan Akin couldn’t succeed without his best command Friday.
In a 4-2 loss to open a road series with the Tampa Bay Rays, Akin needed 95 pitches to get 12 outs, surrendering Maryland product Brandon Lowe’s go-ahead two-run homer in a 33-pitch fourth. The defeat marked Baltimore’s 13th straight away from Camden Yards, while the American League East-leading Rays have won 21 of their past 26 games.
Provided a 2-0 lead on Trey Mancini’s third-inning home run, Akin quickly allowed it to be cut in half.