Orioles can't hold another lead, lose in 11 (Wynns optioned)

The Orioles tried the power approach tonight and took an early lead. They manufactured two runs to again surge ahead. They put a ball on Eutaw Street in the eighth inning to claim their third lead of the game. Home runs and hustle. But nothing they tried was going to stop the losing.

Chris Davis' three-run shot over the flag court in right field looked like the game-winner before Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer off Zach Britton in the ninth for a 7-7 tie that pushed the game past regulation. Jean Segura led off the 11th with a double off Mychal Givens and eventually scored on Denard Span's sacrifice fly off left-hander Donnie Hart, and the Orioles lost to the Mariners 8-7 before an announced crowd of 15,502 at Camden Yards.

Givens retired the side in order in the 10th on a strikeout and two ground balls, but the run charged to him in the 11th lowered his record to 0-5 this season and 18-8 in the majors.

The Orioles are 23-56 overall and 11-26 at home with their losing streak reaching four games. They're 4-5 in extras and the Mariners are 7-0.

Seager singled off Hart, another failed lefty-versus-lefty matchup, to put runners on the corners for Span, whose fly ball to center broke the tie.

Such a violent turn of events after Davis' home run that was supposed to provide a feel-good story on this night.

Alex Colomé fell behind 3-1 to Davis with runners on the corners and two outs, and the first baseman launched a 90 mph cutter for his sixth home run of the season and second since being allowed back into the lineup. The Orioles led 7-5 and were poised to improve their record to 1-48 when trailing after the seventh, but it got complicated.

Mitch Haniger singled off Britton to lead off the ninth and Seager homered for the 15th time this season to saddle the closer with his first blown save of 2018.

The Orioles tried one final rally in the bottom of the 11th with Jonathan Schoop's leadoff single off Edwin Díaz, but Davis struck out, Tim Beckham grounded into a force and pinch-hitter Steve Wilkerson struck out.

Starter Alex Cobb surrendered three runs in the fifth, the last two scoring on Mike Zunino's two-out single after he took a 91 mph fastball to the batting helmet in the second. Mike Wright Jr. replaced Cobb with the Orioles trailing 5-4, and the bullpen turned in 3 1/3 scoreless innings before Britton's entrance.

Manny Machado and Danny Valencia opened the eighth with singles off Colomé. Shortstop Segura robbed Mark Trumbo with a diving stop and Colomé fielded Schoop's comebacker and got the force at second, but Davis crushed the cutter.

Fans who had booed him were on their feet cheering. They fell silence as Seager rounded the bases, more than a few probably thinking this is why they can't have nice things.

Davis's ball is the third this season to reach Eutaw Street and first by the Orioles since Pedro Álvarez on Sept. 2, 2016. It was the 96th overall since the ballpark opened in 1992 and the 11th for Davis to lead the club.

Beckham singled but was thrown out trying for the double.

Valencia hit a two-run homer off Wade LeBlanc in the opening frame for an early 2-0 lead and Trumbo delivered a tie-breaking two-run single in the third. Valencia has homered in back-to-back games, both against left-handers, but he carried a higher average against right-handers (.291) than southpaws (.284) before tonight.

Ryon Healy hit a solo home run off Cobb in the second and the Mariners tied the game in the third on Span's RBI single. Cobb had thrown 18, 20 and 20 pitches over three innings.

The Orioles tried to bail him out in the bottom half, starting with Jones' bunt single. Machado, booed last night for his failure to run out a ground ball, lined a single into center field and both runners scored with two outs on Trumbo's single to left field.

Adam Jones raced home on an aggressive send from third base coach Bobby Dickerson. Span's throw was off the mark and Machado came all the way around from first, reaching for the plate with his right hand and signaling that he was safe before umpire Gary Cederstrom could do it.

Cobb retired the side in order in the fourth inning on only six pitches, but the Mariners sent eight batters to the plate in the fifth. Cobb walked three batters (one intentional), Seager doubled, Healy lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center and Zunino drove his two-run single up the middle.

A diving catch by Trey Mancini in left field robbed Guillermo Heredia and prevented more runs from scoring.

Cobb followed his six-pitch inning with 28 and saw his ERA rise to 6.75 in 74 2/3 innings. He worked through the seventh in his last two starts.

Tonight marked the seventh time in 14 starts that he's allowed five runs or more.

Wright allowed one baserunner in 2 1/3 innings to lower his ERA to 5.08. It reached 9.15 following a May 12 doubleheader.

Jimmy Yacabonis wasn't used tonight and is expected to receive his first major league start Thursday afternoon. He's made 16 relief appearances over parts of two seasons.

A win Thursday would give the Mariners their first four-game sweep at Camden Yards. They took four games at Safeco Field in 2016.

Update: Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Yacabonis will start Thursday. A reliever could be recalled before the game and Showalter said a position player will be sent down later tonight.

"He was getting ready to have to come into that ballgame," Showalter said of Yacabonis. "We're going to look at some other things. We've got three or four guys down tomorrow, so we're doing that now."

The Oriole have lost 14 of their last 15 home games.

Showalter on Britton: "Just elevated some balls. Got some balls up. It's going to be some up and down for a little while until he really settles in. It's been a while since he's pitched, so he's had some good outings and some unlike Zach. There's not much margin for error. Those are good hitters and he's human. Gets a ball up. When he gets it down, we've seen both sides of it and it will be a lot better as we go forward."

Showalter on turnaround after Davis home run: "At this point, anybody. But it was great for Chris off a good relief pitcher, obviously. Had a lot of good at-bats. Scored enough runs that should hold up, but that makes it disappointing. It's still a nice contribution from Chris. Good to see him. I thought he had some good at-bats tonight other than the home run."

Showalter on whether it's a crispness thing with Britton: "I don't know if crisp is the word. He's just inconsistent with some of the things that he spoiled us with for a long time here. He's still one of the best relief pitchers in baseball and he's shown that. Not necessarily flashes. He's shown extended periods in those eight outings. It's just going to take a little while for him to find his step, but he will."

Showalter on Cobb: "He got some pitches up to Healy that he wasn't .. he's trying to throw in a different spot. Command of his fastball got him in trouble some and got some counts in his favor, just couldn't finish some guys off. Some people that really Alex is better than in those situations. Just couldn't get the ball where he wanted to as consistently as he did last time out."

Showalter on whether conditioning still an issue with Cobb: "I don't think so, especially after this last outing. He's had some good outings. I think Alex would be the first to tell you that it's that consistency of everything that just hasn't been there. You see why he's been such a good pitcher at times. Then he just can't make that pitch to get out of a situation or to have a couple easy innings.

"It looked like he was going to get us to the sixth inning there and then the fifth inning he just couldn't get that last out. I think we're too far along to (consider spring training). We could say a lot of those things you're saying, but I don't think guys like Zach and Alex jump to those conclusions. They're really hard on themselves."

Showalter on bunt attempts and other ways to reach against LeBlanc: "It's been that way for a while. Guys are trying different things. It's so hard to, you're in a position where you push all the time. Usually, those guys are really tough against a team that's really trying to get it all back. I was real happy with the patience we had with him, knowing he's going to throw a lot of changeups.

"He threw a cutter to Danny early and he got him, so we knew we weren't going to see that for a while. He took the benefit of a liberal plate, too. Those guys usually good at that. But we scored enough runs to win and we had a pretty good approach. They did a good job on their side with the bullpen.

"That's four out of five days for Edwin Díaz. I think he's leading baseball in appearances. That's pretty remarkable."

Update II: The Orioles optioned catcher Austin Wynns to Triple-A Norfolk after the game. The corresponding move will be announced Thursday.

Wynns made only one start since Joseph returned.