Hardy: "I haven't been getting hits and that all needs to change" (O's lose 5-3)

The Orioles are putting the tarp on the field and the start of tonight's game will be delayed due to the threat of inclement weather.

In other words, dark clouds have rolled in and it's expected to rain.

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy would like the black clouds that follow him to home plate to finally disperse.

Hardy batted .226 in 59 games in the first half of the season. He's batting .226 in 28 games in the second half.

Hardy craves consistency, but not in this form.

Going into tonight's series opener against the Mets, Hardy has produced a .226/.254/.321 slash line with nine doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 87 games since coming off the disabled list and making his 2015 debut on May 7. He's in a 3-for-34 slump in his last nine games, including a much-needed single last night against the Athletics.

Good at-bats that haven't brought the desired results?

"No, bad at-bats," Hardy said this afternoon while sitting at his locker. "It's been not just the last 30 at-bats. It's been kind of a grind for me ever since I've come back.

"It's just continue working, trying to figure it out, trying to get comfortable. This is an important month and a half that we've got left. I'd really like to figure it out and start getting past all the scuffles and help the team win in more ways than just playing defense."

Hardy has given the Orioles some big hits in the clutch, and he's batting .295 (13-for-44) with runners in scoring position and less than two outs. It's not enough to ease his frustration.

"I don't know. I feel like lately it doesn't matter if someone's on or not. I haven't been getting hits and that all needs to change," Hardy said.

"It's not that I'm not trying. It might be that I'm trying too hard. I'm just trying to figure some stuff out and hopefully have a strong month and a half for the postseason push."

Hardy won't use health as an excuse. Not the shoulder that he jammed in spring training and forced him on the disabled list. Not the back that's tightened up on occasion.

"Good enough to be out there," he said. "I've complained before about little aches and pains. As long as I'm out there, I'm happy. If I can be out there and play, then I'm good enough."

Hardy didn't play Wednesday in Seattle when the Orioles were no-hit, and the club was off the following day. The 18-2 blowout on Sunday allowed manager Buck Showalter to remove Hardy early and rest him.

"I got the day in Seattle before the travel home. That helped a lot," Hardy said. "It's just, if I can be out there, then I'm good enough. That's how I see it."

If Showalter crafted a list of his greatest concerns with the Orioles, Hardy's production at the plate would be at the bottom or omitted.

Hardy nearly had two hits last night, but Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien was charged with an error after ranging up the middle to field a ground ball, spinning and bouncing his throw to first base. A scoring change could come later in the week.

"Let me tell you a little story about J.J.," Showalter said. "After the game, they want the player or player's agent to file a challenge to the ruling. Our official scorers do a great job, and J.J. said, 'You know what? I'm not going to turn it in. I should hit that ball through the infield and nobody should be able to get leather on it.' That's the kind of guy he is.

"He's also leading our club in game-winning RBIs, and if his ball hadn't hit a guy's shoe the other day and stuck in the ground, he would have had his 11th. With that being said, we know he's capable of better.

"J.J.'s one of those guys who, when the year is over, he may tell you about something that's been bothering him all year. But to be able to be such a professional and not take that out to the field with him ... He's having as good a defensive year as he's ever had, and he contributes to our team every day. The things that he does - setting our defense, helping Manny (Machado) and Jonathan (Schoop) in the middle. Anything we get offensive from him is just a plus, but I would never count him out. He's the type of guy that can go a month and a half and nobody can get him out."

Update: The delay lasted 46 minutes and Curtis Granderson homered on Kevin Gausman's second pitch to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Granderson set a Mets record with seven leadoff home runs this season. He's hit 35 in his career.

Mets fans travel well. This place got real loud after the home run.

Update II: The Orioles fell behind 2-0 in the third inning on Daniel Murphy's two-out double that scored Wilmer Flores. They had a play at the plate, but Jonathan Schoop dropped the throw from Henry Urrutia on the relay. Flores looked like he would be out with room to spare.

Update III: Granderson homered again in the fifth to extend the Mets' lead to 3-0. Gausman has allowed three runs and six hits in five innings, with no walks, five strikeouts and two home runs. He's thrown 89 pitches.

Jacob deGrom held the Orioles to one hit, a Matt Wieters single leading off the second, before Hardy doubled with two outs in the fifth.

Update IV: Gerardo Parra homered in the sixth to reduce the lead to 3-1.

Gausman allowed three runs and six hits in six innings, with one walk, six strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 109 pitches, 71 for strikes.

Update V: The Orioles' winning streak ends at four games with a 5-3 loss to the Mets before 34,068 at Camden Yards.

The Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth after Schoop's second error and scored twice to provide the final margin. One run scored on Brad Brach's wild pitch.

The Orioles loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and Hardy and Henry Urrutia walked against Jeurys Familia to force in runs. Manny Machado grounded to third on a 2-2 pitch to end it.

The Orioles have lost nine straight to the Mets.