Mark Trumbo on battling the knuckler and Tyler Wilson on his outing

After being held to four hits today by knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright in a 7-2 loss to the Red Sox, are the Orioles concerned that chasing that unique pitch for nine innings could mess up their swing for the next few days?

Before the game manager Buck Showalter said he didn't buy that theory and it would make for a convenient excuse. I asked Mark Trumbo, who went 0-for-3 with a walk today, his take.

"I'd rather not change my approach for one guy if I can help it," Trumbo said. "You want to compete, obviously, today. But to change my whole game plan and mechanics or whatever for one guy, when we have the majority coming behind it, it doesn't make sense. So if you take your medicine today, so be it. I'd rather stay geared up for guys we are going to see more often.

"That was a challenge. He had great stuff today. It never ended up where it started. You can't really predict where to swing. You just hope that you get one that maybe doesn't move quite as much."

Wright improved to 5-4 with a 2.45 ERA and pitched his third complete game, throwing 122 pitches. He gave up three straight hits to the bottom of the order when the O's scored twice in the fifth and one other hit in all other innings. It seemed like he was getting big movement today up and down in the zone more than from inside to outside corner.

"I'd say so, but it did have elements of both," Trumbo said. "I don't know, it is just a weird feeling swinging and not even making contact most of the time. Just whiffing. It's a credit to how good it is. It was also a struggle to catch it at times."

It must be challenging to try and hit a pitch they just don't see very often.

"That might be part of it," Trumbo said. "We have two in the division (also Toronto's R.A. Dickey), so we'll see a few this year. I don't even know. We've all had different ideas on how to have to success, but I think a lot of it is luck of the draw with what kind of pitch you get to work with."

Wright has recorded a quality start in all six of his road outings this year, going 3-3 with a 1.79 ERA. Boston moved to 31-20 and two games ahead of the Orioles for the AL East lead.

O's starter Tyler Wilson took the loss, allowing three runs over 6 2/3 innings. He left down 3-2 before two late homers made for the final 7-2 margin.

"I thought it was a good back and forth game," Wilson said. "I felt good, like it was a really competitive back and forth game. Little frustrated with how the guys put up two there in the fifth against a tough guy in Wright. Then leadoff guy the next inning, I just didn't execute a pitch (Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for a 3-2 lead) and that's a little frustrating. The plan was in place and we were on the same page. Missed by half a foot and that leads to a homer instead of a fly ball. They are the highest scoring team in the league and it's a disappointing loss. But we'll come back out and get them tomorrow."

Wilson discussed the play in the first inning where Xander Bogaerts hit a dribbler up the third base line for a groundout that scored Mookie Betts from second base. The Orioles felt that Bogaerts had fouled that ball off his foot, but the play was not reviewable.

"I saw a great play by Caleb (Joseph, O's catcher). He made an outstanding play. It is kind of one of those things you can't really practice. I'm going for the ball, too, Caleb comes up and calls me off and ends up pushing me around to the third base side, rather than going straight to cover home. Heads up baserunning by Betts.

"But that was an opportunity to be a difference in the game, too, if I get to home it just looks a little different. If they don't score there, it's 2-2 in the seventh. Whether it was a foul ball or not, I'm not certain. Against a lineup like that, the game can come down to a pitch or two. Those guys don't let mistakes go by. They got us today, but it's a long season and I'm excited for tomorrow."

Wilson has been in the rotation now for over a month and has recorded quality starts in four of his last five games. He is 1-4 with an ERA of 4.26 in that five-start stretch.

"Every time I go out, I really feel like I am learning something and getting a lot better," he said. "I know those are just words and until there is improvement, the substance doesn't matter as much. But I am seeing things I haven't seen in the past. Like going through a lineup the third and fourth time, which had been an issue in the past. Just having a stronger plan, that has gotten a little better. I'm frustrated with the loss, but will learn from it."

Manny Machado played in his 500th career major league game today. He made his 211th consecutive start, which is the longest current streak in the majors.