Orioles 6, Brewers 4: Milwaukee's bullpen gives away late lead and a chance for a sweep

BALTIMORE – The Milwaukee Brewers had a chance to pick up what may have been their sweetest victory of the young season.

Leading, 4-3, in the seventh inning Sunday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Brewers were not only nine outs away from a road sweep over one of the American League’s top teams but also were in position to do so by beating Corbin Burnes.

Instead, the Orioles rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Abner Uribe to salvage a 6-4 win and prevent the Brewers from winning their fifth consecutive game.

The Brewers scored three runs off Burnes, who was traded from Milwaukee to Baltimore in February after making three all-star appearances and winning a Cy Young with his former club, including a leadoff home run by William Contreras.

Burnes struck out five but also allowed six hits and two walks, causing him to do his best work with runners on base. The Brewers stranded runners in scoring position after they got there with no outs against Burnes in the first, fourth and fifth innings.

BOX SCORE: Orioles 6, Brewers 4

Milwaukee, which entered the day batting a league-best .395 with runners in scoring position, had an afternoon of regression in that category, going just 2 for 17.

There was even a threat in the ninth with runners on against Baltimore closer Craig Kimbrel that dissipated, with Rhys Hoskins and Sal Frelick striking out after Blake Perkins and Contreras singled with one out.

Jackson Holliday's first career hit sparks Orioles go-ahead rally

MLB's No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday was 0 for 13 to start his career and 0 for 5 with five strikeouts so far in the series when he came to bat in the seventh against Abner Uribe. Holliday drove a sinker to right field for the first hit of his career, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. He then took third base on Gunnar Henderson's game-tying single, which proved big when Adley Rutschman grounded into a go-ahead double play and Anthony Santander bounced out.

The Orioles took a 5-4 lead off Uribe, then pushed their advantage to two runs when Colton Cowser went yard off of Hoby Milner in the eighth.

Blake Perkins gave the Brewers a late lead

Playing for the third time this series with Christian Yelich battling a back injury, Blake Perkins delivered big-time in the seventh inning. He initially tried bunting for a hit off Orioles reliever Yennier Cano, then decided against it two pitches later. It was a good thing for the Brewers that he did.

Perkins connected for his second home run of the season, lofting a hanging slider a couple rows deep to the right-center bleachers to put Milwaukee ahead, 4-3.

Orioles and Brewers go back and forth early

Brewers starter Colin Rea gave up his second home run of the game and season with two outs in the bottom of the third when Ryan O'Hearn skied a solo blast to right. It was the second RBI of the day for O'Hearn, who singled home Gunnar Henderson in the first.

Rea went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts to just one walk.

Milwaukee tied things back up at 3-3 by manufacturing a run in the fourth. With men on first and second and nobody out, Brice Turang laid down a perfect bunt and Burnes threw it into right field, bringing a run in. But Burnes locked in after that, getting a pop up and two strikeouts to leave two runners in scoring position.

Brewers steal a run off Burnes

A rare-occurring play aided the Brewers' offense in the third. After Perkins singled with nobody out, he was given second base when Burnes disengaged with the rubber for a pickoff attempt to first base three times. Perkins then advanced to third on Sal Frelick's two-out infield hit.

The Brewers then put on a base running play designed to get Frelick caught up between first and second to allow Perkins to steal home. It was executed well, with Perkins scampering home without a throw to tie the game.

Cedric Mullins puts the Orioles in front in the second

After Rea worked out of trouble with only one run allowed in the first, it didn't take long for the Orioles to jump on him in the second. Cedric Mullins took a 2-1 cutter over the plate and pulled it to the right-field patio for a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the frame and give Baltimore a 2-1 advantage. It was the first home run allowed by Rea this year.

William Contreras greets Burnes with a bang

The very first batter former Burnes faced in his first outing against his old team took him deep. William Contreras, who caught so many cutters from Burnes last season, crushed one from the other side of the plate this time around, sending it 420 feet out to center field for a leadoff home run.

Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner and three time all-star while in Milwaukee, then gave up a double to Rhys Hoskins that would have been a home run at every other park save for Baltimore, where fit's 398 feet out to left-center. Hoskins would be stranded but the Brewers led, 1-0.

The Orioles would get the run back in the bottom of the first against Rea, who hit Henderson to lead off the inning and then gave up singles to Rutschman and O'Hearn.

Brewers schedule

Brewers vs. Padres, 6:40 p.m. Monday. Milwaukee RHP Joe Ross vs. San Diego TBA. Broadcast: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – 620-AM.

Brewers vs. Padres, 6:40 p.m. Tuesday. Milwaukee LHP Wade Miley vs. San Diego TBA. Broadcast: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – 620-AM.

Brewers vs. Padres, 1:10 p.m. Wednesday. Milwaukee TBA vs. San Diego TBA. Broadcast: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – 620-AM.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Orioles 6, Brewers 4: Milwaukee's bullpen gives away late lead and a chance for a sweep