The Orioles’ first two batters Saturday night against the New York Yankees recorded base hits. They had just two more the rest of the game.

One day after their home-opening win, the Orioles struggled at the plate after the first inning, recording just four hits in a 4-1 loss.

The first inning was a missed opportunity to put up a crooked number on the heels of their 7-6 win over their American League East rival Friday. Center fielder Cedric Mullins and catcher Adley Rutschman both singled to lead off the game against young Yankees starter Jhony Brito, who was making the second start of his major league career.

Brito then got behind designated hitter Anthony Santander 3-0 in the count with runners on the corners. But the Orioles couldn’t capitalize, as Santander hit a sacrifice fly to right field, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle grounded into a fielder’s choice and shortstop Gunnar Henderson grounded out to third.

The Orioles’ only hits in the final eight innings were singles from Ramón Urías and Adam Frazier in the fifth and seventh, respectively.

Santander’s sacrifice fly gave the Orioles an early 1-0 lead, but the Yankees tied the game in the fourth inning and added three more runs in the fifth.

The loss also continued the trend of Orioles starting pitchers failing to go deep in games, as left-hander Cole Irvin was pulled after 4 2/3 innings. Irvin, who the Orioles acquired from the Oakland Athletics this offseason, battled through command issues (four walks) to allow three runs.

Baltimore (4-4) starters have recorded more than 15 outs in just one of eight games this season: veteran Kyle Gibson’s seven-inning start against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

Orioles starters pitched well in Texas, with Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells (who pitched in emergency relief after the former’s foot injury), Gibson and Grayson Rodriguez allowing just four runs in 18 2/3 innings. It’s against AL East foes that the club’s starting pitchers have struggled. In 21 2/3 innings in three games against the Boston Red Sox and two games versus the Yankees, Orioles starters have a 9.14 ERA in just 21 2/3 innings.

Irvin (0-2) gave up an RBI single to Aaron Hicks in the fourth and an RBI double to DJ LeMahieu and a sacrifice fly to Aaron Judge in the fifth. The 29-year-old lefty has allowed nine runs in 8 2/3 innings in his first two starts as an Oriole, failing to make it through five innings in either outing.

With the Athletics last season, Irvin recorded 15 or more outs in 27 of 30 starts, garnering him a reputation as an innings eater — an attractive quality for an Orioles club with mostly inexperienced starters. His four walks were also tied for a career-high — a number he reached just two times in his 66 starts entering Saturday.

Austin Voth replaced Irvin with two outs in the fifth and allowed a solo home run to Giancarlo Stanton that the Yankees’ designated hitter roped 116.3 mph over Oriole Park’s left field wall. Voth, who competed for a rotation spot this spring after impressing as a starter last year, has allowed a run in all three of his relief outings this season.

This story will be updated.

Athletics at Orioles

Monday, 6:35 p.m.

TV: MASN

Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM

()