O'Day injury latest crisis for Orioles in 3-2 loss

Orioles reliever Darren O'Day removed himself from tonight's game. No umpiring controversy and no arguments.

O'Day appeared to suffer a leg injury while fielding Jean Segura's bunt in the eighth inning after Dee Gordon's leadoff double. He hopped off the mound as Segura reached, his pursuit of the ball on the left side of the infield compromised, and threw one warmup pitch before heading to the clubhouse with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel.

The Mariners worked Tanner Scott for a walk to load the bases with no outs, and Kyle Seager's two-run single gave them a 3-2 win over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 16,327 at Cadmen Yards.

O'Day was unavailable last week in D.C. due to a sore hamstring and may have reinjured it. Purely speculation until manager Buck Showalter meets with the media.

It's been a rough series for O'Day, who was ejected last night after a balk call by plate umpire Stu Scheurwater. Tonight's departure appears to be more serious.

The Orioles have lost three in a row and are 23-55 overall and 11-25 at home. They've scored three runs or fewer in 27 of their last 37 games since a 17-1 win over the Rays.

A bullpen with eight relievers following Donnie Hart's arrival today has lost O'Day, who went on the disabled list in May with a hyperextended right elbow. Like the team he pitches for, he's been unable to catch any breaks.

Meanwhile, the pitch-count battle unfolded again tonight for Kevin Gausman, giving him two opponents.

Gausman threw 23 in the top of the first inning while keeping the game scoreless, but only 10 in the second. He stuck around for six frames and the Orioles broke a tie after loading the bases with no outs, but settling for one run was the first painful experience. O'Day's injury followed it.

Manny Machado grounded into a double play in the sixth to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead after consecutive singles by Caleb Joseph, Trey Mancini and Adam Jones. Shortstop Jean Segura double-clutched at second base before making the throw, but Machado jogged up the line and heard some boos.

Mychal Givens tossed a scoreless seventh before O'Day entered and the tide turned. Miguel Castro induced a double play grounder from Ryan Healy in the eighth to keep the Mariners from building on their lead.

Gausman turned in the club's 37th quality start by allowing one run and five hits over six innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. He threw 100 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Danny Valencia gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead with a home run in the second inning. He lined a 97 mph fastball from James Paxton into the left-field seats. Mark Trumbo followed with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

The Orioles appeared to build on their lead when Jonathan Schoop reached on a force and came home on Tim Beckham's two-out double to right field - his first hit since April 23. Mariners manager Scott Servais challenged the call at the plate, and it was overturned.

Gausman hasn't completed seven innings in any of his last eight starts, his pitch totals reading 101 in 4 2/3, 106 in 6 1/3, 74 in 2 2/3, 97 in 5 1/3, 93 in 6 2/3, 107 in 5 2/3, 114 in six and 100 in six. He is 0-4 with four no-decisions and the Orioles have lost all eight games.

The night began with Gausman allowing two hits in a scoreless first inning and needing a caught-stealing from Joseph to keep him at 23 pitches. He threw 21 in the fourth, surrendering a game-tying home run to Seager, but seemed to have plenty left in the tank after reaching 80 through the fifth.

Seattle worked him for 20 in the sixth, but Gausman struck out the side and lowered his ERA to 4.20.

The bullpen tried to get him the win. O'Day tried to make it through an inning without interruption. But what exactly has gone according to plan this season?

Chris Davis went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts to give him six in the series and leave him only seven behind Cal Ripken Jr.'s club record of 1,305.