Danys Baez got the loss in extra innings, his 2nd.

Well that was humbling. Less than a full day after the O’s make the biggest comeback in club history, they take a 5-1 lead into the 9th inning and end up losing. Brad Bergesen was lights out. He gave the club everything he had, going 8 innings and giving up only 1 run on 4 hits. He didn’t walk anybody and he tied his career high with 6 strikeouts. Maybe he should’ve been sent back out for the 9th, but its hard to argue bringing in your best relievers with a 4 run lead and the starter having thrown over 100 pitches. Jim Johnson was first up in the 9th. He walked the leadoff batter and then gave up a 2 run homer to Kevin Youklis to cut the lead in half. He was taking out in favor of George Sherrill at that point. Sherrill struck out the first two batters he faced. Things were looking good. But then he allowed a single, then walked the next two batters and gave up a 2 run single to tie things up. He walked another batter before being taken out of the game for Danys Baez, who got the first hitter he faced to pop out. A scoreless 10th begat the 11th, when the Red Sox scored the eventual winning run on a double followed by a single.

The offense got out to a hot start. Brian Roberts walked to lead off the game, then stole 2nd before scoring on a Felix Pie single. Luke Scott hit his 15th HR to lead off the 2nd. Nick Markakis ripped a 2 run double in the 3rd. And Ty Wiggington hit his 6th homerun of the season to lead off the 4th. Unfortunately the Orioles didn’t have another hit for the rest of the game. The relief pitching is to blame for the loss, but the offense didn’t do the team any favors from the 4th inning on after Wiggington’s blast.

Player of the game: Brad Bergesen (8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 K (3.54 ERA))

The Orioles start a 10 game west coast road trip tonight in LA against the Angels. Jeremy Guthrie (6-7, 5.11) goes for the good guys, John Lackey (2-3, 5.06) for the opposing club.