Hearing from Pearce, Gonzalez and Wada following 2-1 loss

CHICAGO - If not for Steve Pearce, the Orioles would have been no-hit today. They would have been shut out. They would have more reason to feel bad about today's loss at Wrigley Field.

That is, if you believe that the rest of the game would have played out the exact same.

Pearce homered off Tsuyoshi Wada leading off the top of the seventh. Otherwise, Wada dominated the Orioles.

"He kept us off-balance today," Pearce said. "He was throwing everything for a strike and he was working quick. He pitched real well today."

Pearce said the Orioles weren't talking about the no-hitter on the bench. He wasn't thinking about it as he stepped to the plate.

"No, no," he said. "We know what our offense is capable of. He pitched well today. He kept us off-balance the whole game. We tried to fight back, but it just wasn't there today."

What does it say about the Orioles that their first losing road trip comes in late August?

"We've got a good team," Pearce said. "This is only a hiccup in our season. We're going to go home and take care of business and we're going to flush this road trip out of our system. We're going to get ready to play Tampa tomorrow.

"It's hard to win every day. You play in the major leagues, so every day you strap it on and play your best, you know? Balls that didn't fall our way today can be timely hits.

"Every single game, we were in them. Balls didn't go our way. We just try and pick it up next series."

The Orioles were making only their second trip to Wrigley Field.

"They have a good fan base," Pearce said. "It's kind of tough on the opponent. Everyone plays us tough and we're trying not to let that bother us. It is what is, I guess."

Miguel Gonzalez probably would have won on most days after allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three.

"I wouldn't change anything," Gonzalez said after posting his sixth quality start in his last seven outings. "I thought Caleb Joseph did a great job back there changing speeds. We made some good plays when we needed to. Just that one mistake that I made. I think that was it. Wada did a great job of keeping his team in the game. He threw the ball really well.

"I thought he's been throwing the ball really well this year. Happy for him. Just giving this team a chance to win. Unfortunatley we came up a little short today."

Gonzalez came out after 85 pitches.

"I felt good out there," he said. "A little hot, but can't complain. I had good adrenaline going and felt good in general."

Wada feels bad that he couldn't pitch as well for the Orioles after signing a two-year, $8.15 million contract. He didn't pitch for them at all, and they declined his $5 million option over the winter.

"I knew a lot of the players on their team and I feel I let people down by not being able to be a factor on the team," Wada said through his interpreter.

"I tried to be the player who they thought they acquired. I tried to prove that the player they felt they got was what I did today."