Orioles' Craig Kimbrel blows 2nd save in 3 days, exits with upper-back tightness in 7-6 loss to Athletics

BALTIMORE -- Félix Bautista never blew a save in consecutive appearances in his seven months as the Orioles’ closer.

Craig Kimbrel has now done so in his first month filling in for the injured Bautista.

After a stellar start to his Orioles career, Kimbrel on Sunday blew his second save in three days against the Oakland Athletics in Baltimore’s 7-6 loss. Entering with a one-run lead, Kimbrel walked the leadoff batter and allowed a two-run home run to the second before being removed with upper-back tightness, manager Brandon Hyde said after the game.

On Friday, the veteran right-hander allowed all five batters he faced to reach base, including three walks, to blow that save in an eventual extra-inning loss. Kimbrel, one of MLB’s most decorated closers, entered the weekend with only one run allowed in 11 innings. He exits it with three more runs allowed, four more walks and two more blown saves without retiring a single batter across his two outings.

The blown save spoiled another excellent day from the offense, as Baltimore clubbed three home runs for the second straight day to extend their MLB-best total to 44. But the bats couldn’t rally in the ninth, as Jorge Mateo, Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman were set down in order for the loss.

Baltimore is 17-10 and is a half-game back of the New York Yankees, whose game Sunday has yet to end, for first in the American League East. The Orioles welcome the Yankees to Camden Yards this week for their first series — a four-game set — against each other this season.

Home run parade

Rutschman clobbered one into the bullpen. Ryan Mountcastle crushed his to straightaway center field. Ramón Urías went the other way to right-center field.

Baltimore’s long ball barrage continued during Sunday’s matinee as the latest proof that no area of the ballpark should be marked safe with the way the Orioles are hitting right now.

Rutschman and Mountcastle each homered in the third inning after going back-to-back in Saturday’s win. Urías’ solo shot in the fourth was the pivotal run before Kimbrel’s blown save.

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