You couldn't have asked for a whole lot more out of the O's hitters tonight.
OK, you could have. They blew some opportunities.
But the sticking point is this: George Sherrill is not a closing pitcher and they need to find one, fast. Sherrill gave up a two-run bomb to Michael Young in the top of the ninth inning which put the Rangers up 5-4, the score they would win by when the O's failed to get anybody on or in in the bottom of the inning.
The Birds had a chance to blow the game wide open up 4-1 in the middle innings, with the bases loaded and one out. Instead, Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott hacked away and Headhuntin' Vicente Padilla and the Rangers got out of the mess. They chipped away, chipped away, and eventually they broke through with the big blast that won the game.
Sherrill would be an excellent LOOGy. He hasn't been an effective closer. He started OK last year but was struggling by the break, and after the break he collapsed. He's stunk this year. There's not much more to it than that. They need to figure out if Chris Ray can take the role back. What's it going to hurt putting him into the cooker? You find out who can do the job. Sherrill clearly cannot.
Koji was really good again. He was straight-up dealin' out there. But after he came out, it just came apart. The Rangers bullpen did a great job and the lineup tanked out. It happens.