Blanked by Boston: O's lose series finale 4-0

Presented with a chance to win a series against the American League East leaders, the Orioles could not get any runs today off Andrew Miller, a pitcher with a career 5.83 ERA that is averaging nearly six walks per nine innings this year. The Red Sox won the series finale 4-0 in front of 35,174 on a sun-splashed afternoon at Camden Yards. The Orioles were held to just two hits by four Sox pitchers. Miller had control issues today also. He walked six batters in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He had walked nine over his last two starts. But the Orioles had just two hits against him and could not take advantage. Miller walked the bases loaded with one out in the last of the second but got Craig Tatum to hit into an inning-ending double play. The O's went just 2-for-18 at bat today against Miller, a pitcher that allowed a batting average against of .303 in his first five big league starts of this season. The Orioles had scored 30 runs with nine doubles and nine homers over their previous four games. But they were shut out for the fifth time while Boston recorded its 10th shutout on the mound. The Orioles fall to 4-7 on the year in games that decide a series. Jake Arrieta gave the Orioles a second-straight seven-inning start, but allowed three runs, two on homers by Jacoby Ellsbury. Arrieta gave up nine hits with no walks and four strikeouts. He falls to 9-7 with an ERA of 5.02, ending a run of four straight non-quality starts. Ellsbury continued to abuse Orioles' pitching this year. He hit solo homers in the third and seventh innings. They were his 14th and 15th homers, and his second career multi-homer game. He hit two versus the Angels on April 22, 2008. He is batting .468 (22-for-47) with three homers and nine RBIs on the season against the Orioles. The Birds fall to 39-56 on the year, 25-26 at home, 3-4 in the second half and 11-24 in games against the American League East. They are off tomorrow and host the Angels here over the weekend.