O's Bullpen Lets A's Walk Away with the Win

The Orioles lost their seventh straight game last night, falling to the Oakland Athletics 11-2 at Camden Yards. The Birds (63-77) are now worse than the A's (64-77).

Chris Waters (2-2) took the loss, but he kept the Birds in the game...he went five and 1/3 innings, allowing just three runs while walking three, hitting a batter and striking out two.

Enter the bullpen...three relievers (Brian Bass, Brian Burres and Kameron Mickolio) combined to walk seven batters (Bass even hit one) in a single inning. They walked in five runs...but hey, at least they didn't allow a single hit! Randor Bierd came on to stop the bleeding and he did allow a hit, a grand slam, to give the A's an eight-run inning and an 11-2 lead in the eighth inning.

Meanwhile, the O's offense was held to just six hits and managed just two runs (one earned). Oakland had just one more hit than the Birds, but allowed just two walks...it's tough to win when you walk ten batters (and hit two more) in nine innings...haven't I wrote this same column before?

The Orioles are scheduled for a doubleheader later today (weather permitting) so the Ravens can begin their season on Sunday with no interruptions. Garrett Olson and Daniel Cabrera are scheduled to take the mound for the Birds...

Bullpen Blows it as O's Swept on the Road

For six innings, it looked as if the O's losing streak was finally coming to an end...after nine innings, though, the Birds were in the loss column yet again, falling 5-4 to the Boston Red Sox.

The bullpen surrendered five runs in the final three frames, and the offense couldn't come through as the Birds were swept out of Boston and back to Baltimore. The O's have now lost six straight and have won just once in the past 12 games...the team is a season-worst 13 games under .500 and things may get worse before they get better...

Relief pitcher Lance Cormier started the game for the O's and went three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Dennis Sarfate pitched another three scoreless innings, striking out five batters. Jamie Walker and Rocky Cherry combined to pitch the next inning and 1/3, and were charged with four runs off four hits and three walks. Jim Miller came on in the eighth with a man at third and just one out; Miller struck out both Jason Bay and Jason Varitek to keep the game knotted at four heading to the ninth inning...a hit, a bunt single and a throwing error later, the Birds were heading to the locker room wondering just what happened...

The O's enjoy an off-day today before opening up a 10-game homestand on Friday...

Birds Getting Banged-Up in Boston

The O's continued their losing ways last night, dropping another game to Boston 14-2.

The Birds have now lost five straight and are in danger of going 0-6 on the road trip. After losing to Boston 7-4 on Monday, the team turned to Radhames Liz to stop the bleeding...Liz took the loss and was charged with nine runs in just three and 1/3 innings.

In the past two games at Fenway, Oriole pitchers have given up 19 runs on 28 hits (20 hits last night), and have given up 18 walks (averaging one walk per inning).

It gets worse...the team is skipping Jeremy Guthrie's start later this afternoon...reliever Lance Cormier will make the start in his place...manager Dave Trembley hopes to get three innings out of him.

There have been a few bright spots this week...Adam Jones homered in his first at-bat on Monday, and Kevin Millar hit his 20th home run of the season a few innings later...the Birds now have four players with 20 or more homers this season (Aubrey Huff, Melvin Mora, Luke Scott and Millar) and Nick Markakis (18 homers) should join that list soon...

I'm Done on Sundays...

Here's a tip...don't walk and hit batters when the game is on the line...and don't do it four straight times in three straight games...and fire/release any major league pitcher who thinks that's the way to solve a problem...the O's entire pitching staff is in tatters, and we have a front row seat...ENJOY!!!!

O's Fall Apart, Drop a Heart-breaker

The Orioles couldn't hold on to several leads, and even after tying the game in the ninth fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-9.

The Birds took an early 2-0 lead in the first after Jay Payton homered, and after the Rays rallied to take the lead, the O's went ahead 5-3 in the third courtesy of Aubrey Huff's 3-run shot (Huff's 30th home run of the season).

Chris Waters wasn't sharp, and settled for the no-decision. Waters was charged with five runs on eight hits in 4 and 1/3 innings...he walked four (all in the first inning). The bullpen was ineffective yet again, and the pitching staff walked nine batters in all (compared to one walk from the Rays staff).

Nick Markakis went 4-for-5, and his solo home run in the ninth tied the game at nine...all the magic has been sucked out of this team, though, and the Rays stormed back in the bottom of the ninth for the win.

The Birds are now nine games under .500 and have the daunting task of not only trying to avoid a sweep on a Sunday, but then traveling to Boston to take on the Red Sox...good luck...