Game update, Schoop injury anniversary and more (O's lose 8-4)

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Orioles decided tonight not to wait until they were down four runs in the later innings to flex their muscles.

Manny Machado, the second batter of the game, lined an 88 mph fastball from Colby Lewis over the left-center field fence to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead over the Rangers.

A strong wind blow in did nothing to redirect the ball and deny Machado's fourth home run of the season to go with five RBIs. He also has an 11-game hitting streak. He's 18-for-43 (.419).

Machado saw two fastballs, a changeup and a slider before jumping on another fastball and improving his career numbers against Lewis to 3-for-6 with two home runs.

The Orioles began today tied with the Rockies for the major league home run lead with 20.

The Rangers tied the game in the bottom of the first against former teammate Yovani Gallardo, with Adrian Beltre's fly ball scoring Delino DeShields. They doubled twice, drew a walk, made two loud outs and worked Gallardo for 22 pitches.

The latest forecast here calls for a 100 percent chance of rain on Sunday and 90 percent on Monday. But no wintery mix.

The Orioles are supposed to be off Monday, one day after a date that marks exactly one year since Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop sprained his right knee while running out a ground ball against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He didn't come off the disabled list until July 5.

Manager Buck Showalter cringed in the dugout today when reminded of the anniversary, saying he'd blame the reporter if Schoop suffered another injury tonight.

"If something happens to him, find a rock," Showalter said.

Schoop is off to another hot start, batting .314/.351/.686 with four doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs in 35 at-bats.

"We talked to him in the spring again how important it was ... the posterior cruciate ligament is one that if you do the rehab on it, you're OK," Showalter said. "If you have the surgery, it's not a good return.

"He was adamant about it in the offseason, adamant in the spring, and I was talking to our strength and conditioning coordinator today and our trainers today, and he's followed that program. He's on a mission. He's doing the things it takes to stay healthy.

"As long as some freak thing doesn't happen, he's put himself in a position to be successful. Big old strong young man."

Meanwhile, Kevin Gausman said he felt "great" after pitching last night at Single-A Frederick, his second start on an injury rehab assignment. He allowed two runs (one earned), struck out eight and threw 74 pitches in 3 1/3 innings.

"Wish I would have been a lot more effective with my pitch count, but I just kind of felt like they weren't swinging and then all of a sudden they were swinging at everything," said Gausman, on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right shoulder.

"It's a little different of a beast down there, for sure."

Eight strikeouts contributed to the elevated pitch count.

"Update II:I felt good," he said. "I thought my best pitch last night was my splitter and that's something I didn't really start throwing until late in the spring. That's definitely good going forward and it's been my putaway pitch really the last couple years.

"Fastball command still needs to get a little bit better, but I definitely feel like I'm ready and healthy and just kind of ready to get going up here."

Update: Adam Jones homered in the third to break a 1-1 tie, the ball landing above the Orioles' bullpen in left-center field.

Gallardo has thrown 42 pitches in two innings.

Update II: Chris Davis lined his fifth home run of the season over the right field fence in the fifth inning to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead.

The Orioles have eight home runs in their last eight innings.

Pedro Alvarez delivered a run-scoring single with two outs for his first RBI as an Oriole.

Jones' homer measured 460 feet, the longest of his career.

Gallardo has thrown 71 pitches in four innings.

Update III: The Rangers scored in the fifth on singles by Nomar Mazara and Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre's grounder. Orioles 4, Rangers 2.

Gallardo has thrown 88 pitches in five innings.

Update IV: The Orioles fell apart in the seventh, allowing six runs and falling behind 8-4.

Gallardo came back out with his pitch count at 96. He walked Brett Nicholas on four pitches and surrendered a double to Delino DeShields before Showalter removed him.

T.J. McFarland failed to cover first base on Nomar Mazara's grounder to Chris Davis as a run scored, and the tying run came home on Prince Fielder's grounder to Davis. Mitch Moreland had an RBI double off McFarland and Rougned Odor had a two-run single off Mychal Givens.

Mark Trumbo overran the ball in right field, allowing Odor to take third base, and Elvis Andrus followed with an RBI single.

Showalter will be second-guessed all night for letting Gallardo start the seventh and stay in the game after the four-pitch walk to Nicholas, the No. 9 hitter in Texas' lineup.

Update V: The Orioles give up six runs in the seventh inning and lose 8-4.

Gallardo is charged with four runs and nine hits in six-plus innings, with two walks and two strikeouts. McFarland is charged with three runs in one-third of an inning.