BALTIMORE—With the Toronto losing to the Chicago White Sox Sunday, the Orioles had a huge chance to pick up a game in the close AL East race in which they entered the day just 1.5 games back of the East-leading Blue Jays.
Yet, a short starting performance by Miguel Gonzalez, followed by a spectacular bullpen collapse led to a 12-7 loss as the Orioles continued a frustrating trend of playing poorly at home against statistically-lesser opponents, and playing poorly at home in general, where they are now just 19-21 on the year.
Sunday’s contest marked the finale of a disappointing series against Tampa, as the O’s had lost three of four to a team that has sat in the AL East cellar most of the season. The Orioles’ home struggles have made them one of only three MLB teams at least four games over .500 but with a losing home tally (Seattle and the Dodgers being the others).
Sunday’s game though was close in the early-goings.
Tampa’s Desmond Jennings walked to lead off the game, then Bob Zobrist doubled him in on a shot of the scoreboard in for the game’s first run, but a pinpoint throw from Nick Markakis nailed Zobrist’s attempt to stretch the hit into a triple.
The Rays added a second run in the third with a solo HR by Matt Joyce, the first of two home runs in what became a 5-hit day where Joyce came just a triple shy of the cycle.
The Orioles have been shut down in the past by Rays starter Alex Cobb who has held the O’s to a .176 career batting average, behind only Boston’s Andrew Miller (.138) and former Rays and current Seattle closer Fernando Rodney (.165).
This may explain why the Orioles were a little too aggressive on the basepaths with third base coach Bobby Dickerson waving Nick Hundley in from third on Nick Markakis’ third-inning double, with the catcher being thrown out at the plate.
Steve Pearce put the Orioles on the board with a single through the hole to score Markakis before Tampa got out of the inning, but not before the O’s pressure on Cobb drew a visit to the mound from Tampa’s pitching coach.
The O’s continued to attack in the fourth. A one-out JJ Hardy base hit preceded Manny Machado’s two-run homer to right just inside the scoreboard to hand the Birds a one-run lead at the time. However, Zobrist tied the game with a solo shot off Gonzalez in the 5th.
Gonzalez would be taken out in the same frame after walking Brandon Guyer to load the bases. He gave way to Evan Meek, who struck out Logan Forsythe to end the threat. Gonzalez lasted just 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs in the effort.
“We can’t keep running the same people out night after night,” said Showalter of the Orioles’ frequently used bullpen after short starts. “Our starters know that.”
In the fifth, with two outs and Markakis on third, after a mound-visit by Rays pitching coach Hickey, Cobb unleashed a pitch to Nelson Cruz that got by catcher Jose Molina for a run-scoring passed ball.
The O’s lead – again – did not last long. A one-out blast over the scoreboard by Kevin Kiermaier tied the game once again, before a Joyce single scored Zobrist, and the former advanced to second on Adam Jones’ throw home.
An intentional walk by Showalter to Evan Longoria then backfired when new pitcher Brian Matusz served up a two-run double to James Loney, followed by Brandon Guyer’s blooper to left, which scored Loney. Forsythe then blasted Matusz’s next pitch to the seats in left, to blow the game open and give the Rays a 10-4 lead, most of the damage coming with two outs. Joyce’s second blast came in the 7th, a two-run homer that landed on Eutaw Street.
All told, the Rays’ explosion for seven runs in the inning tied a season high on what has been a team that has struggled to generate offense at the plate, despite a pitching staff that produced a 2.82 ERA in June.
It got so bad for the Orioles that Showalter emptied his bench in the 8th, allowing little-used David Lough a chance to play center field, Delmon Young right, and Ryan Flaherty short. In the 9th, backup catcher Caleb Joseph was brought in to play first base.
Matusz seemed to have the biggest struggles out of the bullpen, as he was unable to get out of the inning in the 7th. “He elevated some breaking balls they fight for… fastballs middle up, major league players hit that pitch,” said Showalter.
The Orioles did add three feel-good runs in the 9th on three-run HR by Flaherty, but the game was far more distant than the final score suggested.
What is clear is that the team – if it hopes to make a second half push at the Division – has to figure out a way to win at home.
GAME NOTES
Markakis became the 8th player in franchise history with nine seasons or more with 100 hits on a third inning double.
Jennings was picked off first base in the 5th inning on a close play but did not argue and the Rays did not challenge.
