Orioles get hosed on awful Adley Rutschman strike three call to lose Game 1 vs Royals

Welp, really not what you want to see from the Orioles this afternoon. Despite getting an absolute gem of a start from Corbin Burnes, in which the righty went 8 innings with just 1 run allowed, the Orioles offense fell stagnant and put up a 0 against the Royals in a Game 1 loss on Tuesday.

Ryan O'Hearn took a lead-off walk in the top of the 9th to put the tying run on base but the Birds weren't able to capitalize. Adley Rutschman came up to the plate with O'Hearn on first and battled against Royals' closer Lucas Erceg. Rutschman went up 2-0 but Erceg fought back and after consecutive foul balls from Rutschman, had the count at 2-2.

Unfortunately for Orioles fans, home plate umpire Ryan Addition missed the next pitch and rang Rutschman up on strikes on a pitch that was definitively not a strike. Erceg's pitch was low, well below Rutschman's knees, but Addition saw it differently.

Was the strikeout a make up pitch for Addition missing a strike call in O'Hearn's at bat moments prior? Maybe, but that's really just more justification that we need automated balls & strikes implemented immediately.

Orioles waste Corbin Burnes' terrific start, get hosed by bad call in 9th

While Rutschman's strikeout was particularly agonizing, it wasn't the sole reason the Orioles lost this afternoon's game. The offense went dormant in one of the biggest moments of the season, getting shut out while knocking just 5 base hits, just two of which went for extra bases.

The O's biggest threat came against Royals' lefty Cole Ragans in the 5th inning. Ramon Urias doubled with one out, and Cedric Mullins singled in the following at-bat, giving the O's men on first and third with just one out. Ragans was able to get out of the jam by getting the next two batters, James McCann and Gunnar Henderson, to both strike out swinging.

The Birds were able to get men on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the 8th but the Royals turned to closer Lucas Erceg who was able to promptly get Anthony Santander to ground out to end the threat.

All told, the Orioles managed to get just one baserunner past second base all afternoon. It doesn't matter how good the pitching staff is going to be if the offense is going to crater like that. The O's will need to put runs on the board tomorrow, otherwise they're going to be heading home a lot quicker than fans would like.