Erik Bedard gets his second loss of the season.
Bedard breezed through the first 3 innings without allowing a baserunner. But in the 4th, he came unraveled. He gave up a single and a homerun to start the inning off. Then he struck out Eric Chavez before giving up a single, a double, and an RBI groundout. He walks a batter, throws a wild pitch to let a run score, and then gives up another single for another run. In all, he went 4 and 2/3rds giving up 7 hits, 5 runs, and 2 walks, striking out 6. Scott Williamson struck out the only batter he faced to end the 5th, but he was seen holding his elbow on the bench after the inning. Hopefully its nothing serious. Brian Burres then came on and pitched 3 solid innings. He gave up 3 hits and walked 3 batters, but he struck out 4 hitters and got out of a couple of jams with double plays. Danys Baez pitched the 8th and only gave up 1 hit before getting out of the inning, unfortunately that hit was Nick Swisher’s second homerun of the game. It was an important run, as the Orioles fell one run short on offense.
The Orioles made a valiant effort to come back, but came up just short. We had chances to tie up or win the game in the bottom of the 9th, but some bone headed plays ruined that. The 9th inning, with the Orioles down 6-4, started off with a Jay Payton walk. Then Corey Patterson doubled down the right field line. Chris Gomez pinch hit for Paul Bako and struck out. Heres when things get dumb. Brian Roberts hits a single up the middle, but Corey Patterson heads back towards the bag at 2nd before running ahead, so only Payton scores. Melvin Mora then bunts for god knows what reason and is easily thrown out at first. Mora glares at Patterson on his way back to the bench, so it looked like there might have been a play on, but I don’t think theres any way he would have made it home anyway. Nick Markakis was then intentionally walked to get to Miguel Tejada, who swung at the first pitch and grounded out to second to end the game. Brian Roberts also had a single and his first homerun of the season earlier in the game. Aubrey Huff had a single and 3-run homer (his 2nd) to get the O’s back into the game. Nick Markakis, Miguel Tejada, and Jay Payton had singles, while Corey Patterson also had a single and a stolen base to go along with his double.
Player of the game: Brian Roberts - 3-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
The Orioles can split the short series with the A’s this afternoon, but they’ll have to do it with the spot starter on the mound. Jeremy Guthrie (1-0, 3.38) makes his first start of his Oriole career. He’ll go up against Dallas Braden (0-0, 0.00) making the first start of his entire Major League career. Go O’s.
