When they scored two runs in the first inning, it appeared the Orioles might not roll over against another AAAA starter, but in this case appearances were deceiving. Those two runs were all they'd get until the seventh against David Pauley as the hitters, for the second consecutive night, kinda sucked. Jeremy Guthrie didn't hold up his end of the deal either, allowing six runs on the night, the first time he's given up more than three in a game since the All Star break.
After Guthrie retired the Mariners 1-2-3 to start the game, the Orioles immediately got to Pauley. Brian Roberts walked, then stole second base. He moved to third on a single by Nick Markakis and got himself into a rundown when Ty Wigginton grounded to third. It was a good rundown, though, and Brian held on long enough for Nick and Wiggy to get to second and third so that they were both in position to score on Luke Scott's single to left-center. Pauley then hit Adam Jones to move Luke to second, but Felix Pie grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Jeremy Guthrie didn't waste any time giving up the lead as, after a lead off double by Jose Lopez and a single by Franklin Gutierrez, Matt "the Menace" Tuiasosopo hit his second three run HR in as many days. Guthrie gave up two more runs in the fifth inning as Josh Wilson, who started the inning with a single, scored on a triple double by Ichiro. Nick bobbled the ball a bit in right field causing the official scorer to give him an error on which Ichiro supposedly moved to third base. But let me tell you something, I had the whole play right in front of me and Nick could have played the ball cleanly and Ichiro would have been on third. He didn't slow down at all and even at 36 years old, Ichiro can fly. It wouldn't have been close at third. Ichiro then scored on a sac fly by Chone Figgins, his run counting as unearned, giving the Mariners a 5-2 lead.
Brian Roberts tried to get the O's back into things in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double, but two quick outs by Nick and Wiggy squelched the rally. Luke walked to keep the inning alive but Jonesy couldn't get Roberts in, grounding out to shortstop to end the inning.
In the seventh, however, Pauley wouldn't be so lucky. Felix Pie singled to center field in front of Matt Wieters, who put a 3-1 fastball onto the flag court for his tenth home run on the year. That brought the O's to within one and after an Izzy K, Josh Bell took his second walk of the season but Brian Bob popped up and Nick continued his slumpy ways with a swinging strikeout.
Remember last year when it seemed like every time the Orioles gave Guthrie a lead he'd give it right back? He hasn't been that guy much this year, but for the second time tonight he gave up a run after the O's got him a few. A leadoff walk to Russell Branyan proved costly when Casey Kotchman double to left-center to give the Mariners their 6th run on the night and a two run cushion.
The one positive for Guthrie tonight is that despite taking his lumps he managed to last eight innings (although it was perhaps just two batters too many given the final run he gave up), which helped to save a bullpen that has pitched more innings than any other team in the American League.
The O's made it interesting in the bottom of the 8th with a little help from the Mariners pitchers. Wiggy struck out to get things started, but Luke Scott doubled, his second opposite field hit of the day. He then moved to third on a balk and scored on a wild pitch. Thanks, Jamey Wright! The wild pitch was also ball four to Adam Jones. Felix was unable to get a hit but at least moved Adam up to second with a ground out, then Matt Wieters hit a beautiful opposite field drive that I thought for sure would fall in and score Jones to tie the game. But, wouldn't you know it, that obnoxious Tuiasosopo made an outstanding diving catch to end the inning.
This is where I point out that the most obnoxious thing about this Tuiasosopo dude being the one doing all the damage the past two days is the fact that I have to slow down to type his name very single time. Some dude named Smith hitting home runs and making diving catches would just be too easy.
Alfredo Simon pitched the top of the 9th and miraculously didn't allow a home run, so the Orioles went into the bottom of the 9th still down by one run. Izzy led things off with a single and was then bunted over to second base, giving the Orioles a chance to tie the game with the top of the order coming up. Didn't matter though, because Brian Bob struck out and Markakis grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.
O's lose back-to-back series. That sounds about right.