Orioles Rocked by Rays

The Orioles fortunes hung on two pitches from Jeremy Guthrie today. Guthrie surrendered a season-worst seven runs in five innings, thus matching his shortest outing of the year as well. Six of the seven runs came off of a pair of three-run homers. In the second inning Guthrie coughed one up to Evan Longoria, his first of the year. the tape-measure blast soared over the left-field fence and put the Birds in an early 4-0 hole. Later in the fifth inning BJ Upton came up, again with two outs, and hit a 385 ft drive into the seats just to the left of the out-of-town scoreboard, making it a 7-0 game.

That was pretty much all the Rays would need. They got another run, with two out, off Jeremy Accardo o make it an 8-0 laugher by the seventh. Ever scrappy the Orioles were able to scratch out something in the seventh. Mark Reynolds lead off the inning with his second walk of the day, Robert Andino followed in suit with another walk. The badly slumping Brian Roberts flied out, but Nick Markakis was able to collect his third hit of the day a hard-hit single up the middle and off the hand of Rays pitcher Juan Cruz. If Cruz had let the ball go through it may have been a double play ball (but it looked like it had the energy to make it through from where I was). Regardless, Markakis plated Reynolds and the Orioles ensured that they would not be shut out this day.

In the bottom of the ninth the Orioles would scrape together something that resembled an offense again. Andino led off and was followed by Fox, who came in to catch in the top of the ninth. Lineup juggling by Showalter had him batting in Roberts' spot. Fox would make good on his opportunity and he roped a double off the top of the left field wall. With two on in scoring position and no one out Markakis came to the plate and scored Andino on a sacrifice fly to left. After a Lee strike out Guerrero came up with two out and walked. Pie, who replaced Scott in the ninth, however struck out to end the game. Orioles lose again 8-2.

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