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<\/p>\nThe Orioles are celebrating this Easter with a series sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates!<\/p>\n
A tradition like no other, Baltimore has not won a baseball game on Easter Sunday since 2022. And they are continuing the trend for 2026.<\/p>\n
But, hey! At least Sunday\u2019s defeat wasn\u2019t as bad as last year\u2019s 24-2 Easter loss to the Cincinnati Reds, right? Right?<\/p>\n
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Baltimore lost the game 8-2, marking the first time this season the team has been swept in a series.<\/p>\n
The O\u2019s also logged their first managerial ejection of the young season.<\/p>\n
Manager Craig Albernaz<\/a> was thrown out in the third inning over a discrepancy about an unrecognized batter timeout during a Blaze Alexander<\/a> at-bat.<\/p>\n There\u2019s just something about Baltimore sports organizations traveling to Pittsburgh that seems to always breed negative results.<\/p>\n Chris Bassitt<\/a> attempted to make a start on Sunday, but was quickly removed after allowing six earned runs in two innings. Cade Povich<\/a>, who was called up by the team this morning with the intention of starting him on Monday or Tuesday, was forced to pitch 5 \u2154 innings in relief of the 37-year-old.<\/p>\n Though a 12-year major league veteran, Bassitt struggled severely to command his pitches in the game, throwing a ball on 30 of his 62 pitches. Signed to a one-year, $18.5 million contract, his ERA through two games has now skyrocketed to 14.21.<\/p>\n Former Orioles slugger Ryan O\u2019Hearn took advantage of Bassitt\u2019s miscues, lifting a two-run homer into center field in the first inning to award Pittsburgh its first runs of the day.<\/p>\n The series seemed personal for O\u2019Hearn after he was dealt by Baltimore to the San Diego Padres in the midst of the team\u2019s catastrophic 2025 season. The lefty hit 3-for-11 with five RBIs and notched his third home run of the year in the series against his former squad.<\/p>\n Pitching, however, was far from the sole culprit of the O\u2019s Easter collapse. The bats also failed miserably to collect themselves.<\/p>\n Despite eight hits accrued across the game, Baltimore struck out 14 times, marking the fourth time this season they have recorded double digit strikeouts in a game.<\/p>\n As it has been for most of the season, it was simply a matter of stacking base runners.<\/p>\n The Orioles tallied multiple base runners in just two innings during the game, the fourth and the seventh. Those were the only innings that they put a run on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n The 8-2 loss capped off a series in which the O\u2019s were held under five runs in every game, something the 2025 Orioles did not accomplish until April 24.<\/p>\n And, it was the perfect cherry on top after Baltimore\u2019s tragic one-run losses to the Pirates on Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n Friday\u2019s loss saw O\u2019s supposed co-ace Kyle Bradish<\/a> allow four runs in four innings while letting up six hits and three walks. The bats similarly failed to connect in the opener as they racked up nine hits and five walks but amassed just four runs.<\/p>\n Former Orioles reliever Gregory Soto<\/a>, who strung together a 4.33 ERA during his time in Baltimore, gave up a two-out ninth inning home run to O\u2019s shortstop Gunnar Henderson<\/a>. That turned out simply to be a teaser after Soto struck out first baseman Pete Alonso<\/a> in the next at-bat.<\/p>\n Saturday\u2019s loss was even more gut wrenching.<\/p>\n Shane Baz<\/a> allowed no earned runs in his second Oriole start. Pittsburgh left 11 batters on base and hit 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position during the game. Seven of the nine members of Baltimore\u2019s starting lineup reached base in the game.<\/p>\n Did the Orioles win?<\/p>\n Nope!<\/p>\n They actually lost in walk off fashion when Nick Yorke<\/a>, who entered the game as a pinch runner, sent a double over the head of Dylan Beavers<\/a> in left field to score Bryan Reynolds<\/a>. After blowing a career-worst nine saves a season ago, closing pitcher Ryan Helsley<\/a> marked his first of the year in the ninth game.<\/p>\n Defensive woes were the story of the tragic defeat.<\/p>\n A fielding error by Baz in the fourth inning eventually gave way to an unearned run for the Pirates, which cut the deficit to one run. In the eighth inning, a ground ball took an unfortunate bounce off of reliever Anthony Nunez<\/a>\u2019s glove, which eventually led to the tying run crossing home plate.<\/p>\n Then, the walk off ensued.<\/p>\n If anything, the series exemplifies just how important the little details are in the sport of baseball.<\/p>\n The O\u2019s failed to fire on all cylinders (hitting, pitching, defense) throughout the three-game stint. When they would excel in one aspect, the others would falter.<\/p>\n Remind you of the Orioles from a season ago?<\/p>\n Henderson, our Player of the Series, provided one of the lone bright spots of the chaotic series. The shortstop slashed a .333 average with a home run and two RBIs across the three games on the road.<\/p>\n However, the negatives overshadowed the positives.<\/p>\n Baltimore averaged 10.3 strikeouts per game in the series, topping their 9.7 average in each of the previous two series.<\/p>\n The team also hit .208 (5-for-24) with runners in scoring position during the series, which just won\u2019t cut it when the pitching is sub-par.<\/p>\n It will be back to the drawing board for Albernaz and his boys before quickly turning around to face the Chicago White Sox, who just completed their own series sweep against the AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays.<\/p>\n As Ben McDonald<\/a> pointed out on today\u2019s broadcast, the hope is that Chicago got it all out of their system!<\/p>\n Though, most of Baltimore\u2019s losses thus far have been self-inflicted, so will it really even matter?<\/p>\n Key Takeaways<\/p>\n You\u2019ll never be competitive with untrustworthy starters.<\/p>\n Ironically, the most compelling pitcher of the whole series, besides Baz, was Povich, who ended last season with a 5.37 ERA that was well above league average.<\/p>\n Bassitt, who was advertised as a safe veteran presence, has now allowed 10 earned runs, 12 hits, and six walks through his first two starts in Baltimore.<\/p>\n Bradish, who started two games earlier than his 37-year-old teammate, struggled to find his footing for the second time this season.<\/p>\n Command has been the biggest issue for Baltimore\u2019s starting arms and if that fails to regain control, don\u2019t count on the team being very competitive.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screen-Shot-2026-04-05-at-8.54.08-PM.png\")
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