Baltimore Orioles Lose in Tenth Inning

facebooktwitterreddit

Aug 11, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder

Austin Jackson

(16) watches his game-winning RBI-single against the Baltimore Orioles during the tenth inning at Safeco Field. Seattle defeated Baltimore, 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With an opportunity to pick up another game on the New York Yankees — losers to Cleveland in 16 innings on Tuesday evening — the Baltimore Orioles lost as well in extra frames by 6-5 in the 10th.

It could have been a great night — a season-changing sort of evening. The Yankees scored two in the eighth to take a 4-2 lead over the Indians, but the Indians tied the game and forced it into the 16th before winning.

Likewise, the Orioles came back from a 5-2 deficit to tie it on homers by Adam Jones and Chris Davis, but they could not get the go-ahead score.

Seattle’s winning run in the 10th was a bit of a cheap one, set up off T.J. McFarland with a leadoff bloop double … followed by a stupid Baltimore chop hit through the left side off the concrete infield. Austin Jackson would drive in the game-winning run with a liner on the right-field line.

More from Baltimore Orioles

This was a game the Orioles could have won, though probably deserved to lose after Chris Tillman gave up five runs on eight hits in just 2.1 innings. But again, winning such a game could have been a season-shifting momentum moment for the Birds. This is a sort of game the 2012 and 2014 Orioles would have captured.

It is difficult to make many evaluative statements about Chris Tillman. He is coming back from the injury time away due to the turned ankle in his last start at the end of July. One thing is certain about Tillman: he is a creature of habit and functions best on a very strict schedule of rest days. It seems like any disruption of that timing means the internal clock needs to be re-set. It might not be surprising if he comes out with a good game the next time around. In any event, that is what the Orioles are going to need if there is any chance of catching the teams ahead of them.

Matt Wieters was also injured in the game and needed to be replaced. The issue is a hamstring … to be evaluated Wednesday.

The Orioles are really, really going to need Kevin Gausman to have a strong outing against the Mariners. He is going to have to pitch deep into the game whether he is getting shelled or not.

The price of optimism is going up at about the same rate as the price of oil is falling these days.