Orioles' Colton Cowser fractures hand after being hit by pitch in Game 2 loss to Royals

BALTIMORE — Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser suffered a fractured left hand when he was hit by a pitch during a season-ending 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of the American League wild-card series, the team announced.

With the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Cowser was struck by a 97.3-mph sinker from Royals reliever Angel Zerpa, which resulted in a strikeout as Cowser failed to check his swing. He remained in the game for an inning, even testing out his hand while throwing in the outfield with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel watching, but didn’t come back out for the seventh. Heston Kjerstad replaced Cowser in left field and later lined out to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to begin the bottom of the eighth.

The Royals, who won Tuesday’s series opener 1-0, took an early lead on Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI single in the first inning. Orioles starter Zach Eflin was sharp for the remainder of his outing, which ended after only four innings as manager Brandon Hyde played the matchups out of his bullpen the rest of the way.

Cedric Mullins tied the game in the fifth with a solo homer that energized the announced 38,698 fans at Camden Yards — like Game 1 on Tuesday, it wasn’t a sold-out crowd. The Orioles then loaded the bases with no outs, but they couldn’t deliver. Anthony Santander popped up, Cowser struck out on the pitch that hit him and Adley Rutschman grounded out to kill the rally.

Kansas City retook the lead in the sixth on an RBI infield single from superstar Bobby Witt Jr., who drove in the lone run in Tuesday’s win. Second baseman Jordan Westburg snagged the sharp grounder, but his throw to first wasn’t in time to nab the speedy Witt.