Orioles home runs aren't enough in 8-6 loss to Rays

OK, here's the deal - I'm supposed to be doing a game recap, but the season's almost over so I figure why not try something a little different. Below is a running recap of my notes/thoughts on the game. Your regularly scheduled recaps will resume tomorrow night.

- A VERY quick 1-2-3 for Drew Smyly in the top of the first. It was 14 pitches that seemed like 4. Let's not forget these Orioles can strikeout with the best of them.

- Tyler Wilson is back. Let's see if he can replicate his ground ball-inducing ways.

- Nope. 15 pitches for Wilson. 5 batters. One strikeout, two fly ball outs, and two runners reached on a line drive and ground ball hopper.

- Smyly hits Pearce to give the O's their first baserunner with two outs.

- Joseph works a four pitch walk. When the count was 3-0, Palmer said he'd let him swing. Joseph watched the ball go inside for the fourth ball. Good. Don't ever swing on a 3-0 count. Ever.

- HARDY!!! An Earl Weaver special! Hardy hits a home run to quickly make it 3-0 Orioles. It was a good one too. Wow. Alvarez grounds out to end the inning, but the Orioles take the lead and work Smyly up to 42 pitches. Doesn't get much better than that.

- With the pressure off, Wilson walks the first batter he faces in the bottom of the second. Ugh.

- Papa John's "50% off when the Rays score 6" ad behind the plate. I've noticed it's also six runs for the Nationals, but its only 5 for the Orioles. Anyone else curious as to why?

- Schoop tries to turn a double play, but after getting the first out at second throws the ball over Davis' head at first to let Arencibia get in safely. Feels like he's done that a lot this year, doesn't it?

- And that error comes back to bite them as Beckham hits a home run in the next at bat. If Schoop had turned the double-play the inning would have been over. Now it's 3-2 Orioles.

- Smyly throws to the 1st to keep Machado in check. Machado, being the badass he is, decides instead of going back to 1st, he's going to run to second because no one's covering second in the shift. Initially ruled safe, its overturned to out on the replay. I don't know about that one - looked inconclusive at best to me.

- Davis works a walk with two outs, and Smyly is already at 61 pitches. Jones comes up next and hits a weak grounder to end it. At least he didn't strike out.

- Camera cut away to someone in the dugout having put something on Wayne Kirby's helmet. Kirby did not look the least bit amused as he knocked it off.

- Wilson desperately needs a strikeout. Mahtook at third with one out, Orioles ahead by only one.

- Oh, Mahtook. When there's a sharp grounder right to the first baseman, don't try for home. You won't get it. Inning ends on a pop fly for the third out.

- Nothing of note happens in the fourth inning.

- Tonight's beer to accompany the game is Flying Fish Hopfish IPA. Yes, I'm an IPA guy. When I was in Houston this week we were out at dinner at a not great restaurant. When asked what kind of beer they had, the waitress replied "What don't we have?" I asked if they had any IPAs. She looked at me like I was speaking German.

- Mahtook makes up for his earlier blunder by hitting a double over Adam Jones's head. It put Jaso at third with one out. And now they're going to intentionally walk Longoria to load the bases with one out. Not the worst idea I've ever heard. Unfortunately, it didn't work out and Sizemore hits a double that clears the bases. Rays now lead 5-3. And that's it for Tyler Wilson. Chaz Roe coming in.

- Palmer tried to point out that the result of that play was why you don't walk Longoria. Betting on Wilson to beat Sizemore as opposed to Longoria is a good bet. It didn't work out. Don't judge the in-game decision by the outcome.

- Now Loney doubles to score two more runs. Another ball just inside the foul line. Rays now lead it 7-3.

- Nick Franklin just a hit a double as Adam Jones, Jonathan Schoop, and Dariel Alvarez just forgot how to play baseball. Rays lead 8-3. Thankfully, the inning ends on the next batter.

- PEARCE!!! A member of Team Steve hits a 2-R homer to make it 8-5 Rays.

- McFarland comes in to pitch the sixth. After giving up a one-out walk, he gives up a single...and Buck is coming out to bring in Mychael Givens to pitch to Longoria. Logoria hits a grounder that the Orioles turn into a double play. Givens ends the inning with a strikeout.

- Badly needing some runs, Machado, Davis, and Jones come up to bat. Machado hits a pop fly for the first out. Davis drew a walk, but Jones hit into a double play. Inning over.

- Oliver Drake replaces Givens in the eighth inning. After Wilson melted down, and Roe and McFarland were unable to stop the bleeding, Givens came in and did just that. I look forward to him being in the bullpen next season.

- Drake allows some baserunners, but no runs. Top of the ninth coming up with the Orioles down three.

- Top of the Ninth: Schoop grounds out. One down. Pearce hits his second homer of the night to make it 8-6. (Chris Booze says "Called it") Joseph hits it right to first base. Two down. Hardy works a 3-1 count, but watches two strikes down the middle of the plate to end the game. I said you shouldn't swing when it's 3-0. You may want to consider it on 3-2 though.

So to recap, the Orioles seemed to put Smyly in trouble early by raising his pitch count and putting him in the hole. Wilson never really seemed to have great command and quickly melted down to come out of the game before Smyly. Schoop had a critical error that was responsible for two runs. Scoring six runs is good, but tonight it wasn't enough. Maybe tomorrow.