His defense lent an early hand as Austin Hays sprinted to the left-field corner to pull in a well-struck drive by Rangers leadoff hitter Marcus Semien, and third baseman Jordan Westburg leaped to snare a line drive from No. 2 hitter Josh Smith.

Irvin was less fortunate in the top of the second. After Texas first baseman Nathaniel Lowe beat Jorge Mateo’s double-play throw by a step to extend the inning, Hill hammered an 85 mph cutter over the high wall in left to put the Rangers up 2-0.

The Orioles answered in the bottom of the inning. Hays, who’d missed the previous four games with knee soreness, led off with a double and scored on first baseman Ryan O’Hearn’s looper to center.

But Texas wasn’t done with Irvin. Rookie left fielder Wyatt Langford, who’d go on to hit for the cycle, tripled past Hays’ outstretched glove to lead off the fourth, and Lowe quickly drove him in to make it 3-1. Irvin walked Hill and allowed a sharp single to No. 8 hitter Andrew Knizer that made it 4-1. Semien upped it to 5-1 with another single.

Irvin’s pitches neither consistently found the strike zone nor fooled the Rangers. He left after 3 2/3 innings, having surrendered five hits, walked two batters and hit two others.

His spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy with Dean Kremer’s return from a triceps strain seemingly imminent and Albert Suárez having pitched a gem against the Rangers on Friday.

Vespi didn’t fare any better in the fifth inning, allowing five straight hits, including three doubles and a Hill home run into the Texas bullpen, as the Rangers extended their lead to 8-2.

Around the horn

— First baseman Ryan Mountcastle was “under the weather” and not in Hyde’s lineup Sunday even though the Rangers started a left-hander. Mountcastle pinch hit for O’Hearn and went 1 for 2 in Saturday night’s win over Texas.

— Hyde said Saturday he’ll wait to set his rotation for this week’s series in Seattle until he knows when Corbin Burnes, who’s on the paternity list, will be ready to pitch next. The Orioles are also weighing whether to give Kremer (triceps strain) a fourth rehab start before adding him back to the mix.

— Veteran pitcher Julio Teheran, signed in early June as a long-shot rotation option, opted out of his minor league deal with the Orioles after posting a 9.18 ERA in four starts for Triple-A Norfolk.

— Outfielder Kyle Stowers hit his 53rd career home run for Norfolk on Sunday, passing Gary Rajsich for the most in Tides history. Stowers, who slashed .286/.278/.486 in 36 plate appearances for the Orioles earlier this season, has 14 home runs in 44 games for Norfolk this season.

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