The Orioles ran out of comebacks.
A day after erasing a four-run deficit and winning in the 13th inning, the Orioles dug themselves out of an early four-run hole to tie the game before falling, 5-4, to the Tampa Bay Rays before an announced 19,286 today at sun-drenched Camden Yards.
The Rays scored the winning run in the sixth inning when Jason Berken issued a bases-loaded, two-out walk to Evan Longoria. It was the Orioles' fifth loss in six games since the All-Star break, and they are just 2-7 against Tampa Bay this season.
The Orioles (30-64) had their chances, but they went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and ran themselves out of a potential scoring opportunity in the eighth inning. With the Orioles down by a run, Scott Moore, who was pinch running for Ty Wigginton after the first baseman's one-out double, tried to advance to third on Adam Jones' ground ball to the left side. However, Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett threw to third and Longoria tagged Moore out.
It also didn't help that they were again forced to overcome another sizable deficit as the Rays scored four times off Orioles starter Brad Bergesen in the first three innings. Longoria hit a solo shot in the first, and Reid Brignac and Ben Zobrist drove in runs in the Rays' two-run second. Willy Aybar then made it 4-0 with a two-out RBI double in the third.
The Orioles took a chunk out of that lead with a three-run bottom of the fourth. Wigginton belted James Shields' 1-2 pitch into the left-field seats. The two-run shot was Wigginton's 16th of the season.
Jake Fox's RBI double later in the inning cut the Rays' lead to 4-3. The Orioles then tied it in the fifth. Miguel Tejada was hit by a pitch with one out, and then Nick Markakis doubled, putting runners on second and third with one out. Markakis' double broke an 0-for-14 slump and was his American League-leading 32nd of the season.
Luke Scott then scored Tejada and tied the game with a ground ball to the right side.
Bergesen, however, couldn't keep the score even. He allowed a leadoff single to B.J. Upton in the sixth, and Upton swiped second on a close play. It was the 18th consecutive successful steal attempt against the Orioles.
Brignac's ground ball to first moved Upton to third with one out. Bergesen walked No. 9 hitter Kelly Shoppach on five pitches and then issued a free pass to Ben Zobrist to load the bases.
Interim manager Juan Samuel then brought in Berken, who got Bartlett to hit a ground ball right at a pulled-in Tejada at third. Tejada had several options, but he decided to throw home to Fox make sure the Orioles cut down the lead run. However, Fox's throw to first wasn't in time to complete what would have been an inning-ending double play.
That loomed large when Berken walked Longoria on five pitches to bring in the go-ahead run.
Bergesen allowed five earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out a career-high-tying seven batters over 5 1/3 innings.
He remains winless since May 12, a span of nine starts. In his past three starts, Bergesen has surrendered 13 earned runs on 29 hits and eight walks over 17 1/3 innings.
Over the past four games, Orioles starters have gone just 15 innings and allowed 24 earned runs on 25 hits and 13 walks.