It was hard to find many positives for the Orioles to take from Wednesday?s game.
Oakland pitcher Barry Zito, who scattered five hits and one run in seven solid innings, stymied the Orioles? offense.
Baltimore starter Kris Benson was chased after allowing five earned runs in six innings, and the Orioles lost, 5-1, before 29,407 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Zito was sharp, and mixed his pitches from a deep repertoire in a successful fashion.
“He just kept us off balance enough that we really never could get anything going off him,” said Kevin Millar, who doubled and scored the Orioles lone run in the seventh inning. “When he?s throwing all those pitches in any kind of sequence it makes it tough, and he?s one of the better ones out there.”
Scott Sauerbeck and Huston Street relieved Zito in the final two innings and shut the door on the Orioles, who dropped two of three games in the series.
“We?ve been trying all along to get something rolling,” said manager Sam Perlozzo, whose club had won three straight before dropping the final two games to Oakland. “We?ve got to pick it up with Tampa Bay and see if we can start it up again. If we win three or four in a row, it?ll be a good stretch.”
One bright spot late in the game for the Orioles was left-hander Bruce Chen. Since being relegated to the bullpen, the former starter has been given mop-up duty when starters don?t last late into ballgames.
“He was great tonight,” Perlozzo said. “I think that?s the best he?s thrown the ball for a while. He picked up the pen. We were a little short today, and he was able to give us three good innings. It was a good sign.”
Benson became the second pitcher in as many games victimized by back-to-back Oakland home runs. Eric Chavez cleared the right-center field fence with a 390-foot shot. Frank Thomas was not to be out-done, hitting a towering, 410-foot blast to the seats in left-center.
“I didn?t think he was as sharp as he could be,” Perlozzo said. “I thought he had good life on his fastball, but his command wasn?t quite there. His off-speed pitches weren?t great today, either. He hung in there a little bit for us.”
Perlozzo opted to rest second baseman Brian Roberts, who had played in every game of the home stand.
“I thought he needed a day off,” Perlozzo said. “It helped that he hadn?t had much success off Zito in the past. He needed a little rest, he got it today, and he?ll be back in there.”
The O?s lineup Wednesday might not mirror that of the group that returns next weekend, as rumors have been swirling about potential trades before the July 31 deadline.
“It doesn?t bother me,” said pitcher Rodrigo Lopez, who has been rumored to be one player the Orioles are shopping. “I just try to help the Orioles to win, and whatever happens is not in my control. I?m just going to keep working hard.”