5 Baltimore Orioles to blame for Wild Card Game 1 loss to Royals

The Baltimore Orioles are back in the playoffs for the second straight year and once again, there appears to be a fundamental issue holding them back. Last October, it was a dire lack of pitching. This time around, well, the script has flipped.

Corbin Burnes was acquired for this exact purpose. He was absolute dynamite in his first (and potentially only) postseason start for the O's, going eight innings deep while allowing just five hits and one earned run. It's hard to ask for a more comprehensive outing from your No. 1 starter.

Unfortunately for Burnes (and the O's), he got zero run support. Literally. The Kansas City Royals walked away with a 1-0 victory and a 1-0 series lead. Now it's do-or-die for Baltimore in Game 2 with Seth Lugo on the mound for the opposition. That is not a position the Orioles want to be in.

Baltimore does not collectively have the benefit of experience on this stage, but the Royals were among the worst teams in baseball last season. This is Bobby Witt Jr.'s first playoffs game and he outshined Gunnar Henderson in a battle of positional peers and MVP candidates.

So, without further ado, let's assign some blame for the Baltimore loss.

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Heston Kjerstad whiffed in spectacularly bad fashion to end the game

It's hard to earnestly blame the young pup for a pinch-hit opportunity in the bottom of ninth inning, but Heston Kjerstad was objectively the tying run in a do-or-don't spot. The result? One of the worst swings you'll see all postseason.

This was something of a theme for Baltimore throughout the game, which led to some... inspired social media reactions.

Simply put, that was a tough way to go out. We can't blame Kjerstad for being Baltimore's last chance in a 1-0 ballgame, but we can condemn that swing.

Jordan Westburg left a runner stranded on third

On the surface, Jordan Westburg was one of the few O's who actually did... something. He finished 1-for-4 with a single in the eighth inning, one of only five hits Baltimore managed in the entire game. That said, in a game defined by the lack of runs, we must pin blame on those who did not perform with runners in scoring position.

In the bottom of the third inning, with a runner on third base and two outs, Westburg flew out to left field. That was one of precious few opportunities Baltimore received to knock in a run, and the All-Star third baseman flubbed it.

Again, it may seem harsh, but in such a bad loss, we must be precise and unforgiving with our blame. Westburg was one of several Orioles who did not deliver when there was a real chance to swing the momentum of the game.

James McCann also left a runner in scoring position

Are you sensing a theme here? James McCann also left a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the third inning. After Cedric Mullens' leadoff double, McCann swung through a third strike for the first fateful out of what could be viewed as Baltimore's most essential inning. In a game with so few opportunities to score, the O's were in prime position and just couldn't get a ball to the outfield in fair territory.

McCann finished the game 0-for-2. Brandon Hyde yanked the plug in the eighth inning, opting to pinch hit Emmanuel Rivera. All in all, it was a rough outing for the former All-Star, even if he helped call a gorgeous game behind home plate.

Anthony Santander — you guessed it — failed to deliver in a key moment

In the bottom of the eighth inning, with opportunities waning for Baltimore, Anthony Santander stepped up to the plate with a runner on second and two outs. The All-Star grounded out to shortstop, a final flop to end an entirely underwhelming performance.

Santander has been a revelation for the O's this season, putting together his best slugging numbers to date. He is a cleanup hitter by trade, meant to drive in runs with a single, well-timed, hard-as-hell swing of the bat. In this game, the first of what could be Santander's final series with the O's, he went 0-for-4.

Not what you want from their No. 3 hitter and primary power source when the lights are brightest. Santander has been changing the trajectory of games with his swing all season. When rubber met the road, however, he couldn't help a single run across home plate.

Gunnar Henderson couldn't get the job done when the O's needed it most

Gunnar Henderson finished the game 0-for-3 with a walk. He did, at one point, put himself in scoring position, where he was of course stranded. That said, Henderson needs to be held to the highest of standards. He is going to finish top-five on a lot of MVP ballots. Such an honor does not come without strings attached. Those strings being that when Henderson does not perform in the playoffs, he is going to catch extra heat.

The 23-year-old grounded out with a runner on second and just one out in the third inning, setting up the aforementioned Jordan Westburg flyout with a runner on third. Then, Henderson struck out swinging with runners on the corners and two outs in the fifth inning.

Henderson was given two opportunities to tilt the game in Baltimore's favor. Bobby Witt, the obvious direct point of comparison for this game, came up with the go-ahead RBI single for Kansas City. Henderson could've been the hero, but instead, we are talking once again about a potential Orioles collapse.

The dude is 23, so there's time aplenty for him to learn and grow — Baltimore will be on this stage for many years to come — but fans expect immediate results, and that's not what Henderson or O's supplied on Tuesday afternoon.