Baltimore Orioles giving Arizona Diamondbacks run for the title

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ utter futility on the road has been impressive. They have lost 23 consecutive road games entering Friday, setting a major league record that no franchise should want. However, someone has forgotten to give the Baltimore Orioles that memo.

On Thursday, the Orioles lost another road game, getting blasted by the Toronto/Buffalo/Dunedin Blue Jays by a score of 9-0. That loss means that the Orioles have now dropped their 20th consecutive road game, becoming the fifth team in major league history to reach that ignoble milestone.

Baltimore Orioles giving Arizona Diamondbacks run for the title

Just as the Diamondbacks found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, so too have the Orioles. Ten of these losses have been by two runs or less, with Baltimore suffering five one run losses. One would have imagined that, at some point, one of those games would turn out in their favor.

But this has been a perfect storm. If the offense shows up, the pitching tanks. Likewise, if the Orioles get a solid pitching performance, the lineup takes the day off. As one would expect with a losing streak of such magnitude, nothing has gone the Orioles’ way.

While it is difficult to point to one game as the catalyst, this losing streak did begin with a walkoff loss to the Mets back on May 11. Baltimore had entered the game with a 16-19 record, one that was respectable for a team that is clearly rebuilding. Since that loss, however, the Orioles have a 9-33 record, any progress having disappeared.

The Orioles are a young team. They are looking for pieces for the future, players that can be a part of the future core of the franchise. Those young players will also suffer through inconsistency and a loss of confidence at times. The Orioles are certainly going through that on the road right now.

The Baltimore Orioles have lost their 20th consecutive road game. The Arizona Diamondbacks have company in the race to the bottom.