Orioles' early power display wasted in 15-8 loss (with quotes)

Wade Miley's reputation for working fast unfortunately expanded tonight to include being done after only 44 pitches.

The Orioles became the first team to hit four home runs before making an out, according the STATS. Their first inning was epic.

The collapse that ensued wasn't far off. Miley allowed five runs in the second as the Astros also batted around and manager Buck Showalter removed him after 1 2/3 innings with his team behind 6-5.

The Orioles lost 15-8 before 34,422 at Camden Yards, and the temptation here is to shut off the laptop and head home, but the devil is in the details and if I'm going to use that expression for the first time, I may as well keep writing.

Making his fourth start for the Orioles, Miley allowed six runs and six hits before heading to the clubhouse. He walked none, struck out five and hit a batter. The five strikeouts came in a span of six hitters, because the Orioles are becoming known for their strange pitching lines.

Fans booed as Miley walked to the dugout, their emotions toyed with until they couldn't take it any longer. Lament the leadoff home run from George Springer in the top of the first, wildly celebrate the home runs hit by Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo in the bottom of the inning, move beyond exasperated as the Astros retake the lead.

They didn't give Ubaldo Jimenez the warmest of welcomes, but there's a history and few were in a forgiving mood. Emotions were raw.

A one-run deficit in the second inning isn't supposed to feel this bad.

Other stuff happened, of course, and the sky didn't fall. It will fill with more fireworks as one of the night's promotions.

The Orioles went ahead again in the third on Jonathan Schoop's RBI single and a wild pitch, the rally starting with Trumbo's walk and amped up with Matt Wieters' single. Jimenez gave up the tying run in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Alex Bregman and the go-ahead run in the fifth on Teoscar Hernandez's two-out RBI bloop single into right-center field.

Tyler Wilson replaced Jimenez, who was charged with three runs and walked four batters in three innings. Wilson let an inherited runner score and three of his own in two innings. He served up two home runs.

Wilson retired all 12 Rockies he faced on July 26. In his last three outings covering 5 1/3 innings, he's allowed 13 hits and seven runs and let four inherited runners score.

Vance Worley replaced Wilson with two outs in the seventh, as Showalter used all three of his long relievers before Chris Tillman's start on Saturday. A roster move may be pending. Got to have a "what-if" guy, especially with Tillman having a sore shoulder this week.

Mike Wright isn't a candidate after working five innings tonight for Triple-A Norfolk, holding Durham to one run. However, Odrisamer Despaigne hasn't pitched since tossing five scoreless innings on Monday. He'd be working on normal rest if called up and used in Saturday's game.

Worley let the runner score that he inherited from Wilson on Jose Altuve's RBI single. Altuve and Evan Gattis homered off Wilson the previous inning. Worley was charged with a run of his own in the seventh on Carlos Correa's infield hit, and Hernandez homered off him in the ninth.

The nine combined home runs are tied for the highest in a major league game this season.

Pedro Alvarez hit his 19th home run in the fifth, increasing the Orioles' total to five on the night.

Machado and Davis went back-to-back for the second time in two nights. They've both hit 28 home runs this season.

Trumbo's 36th home run of the season allowed the Orioles to go back-to-back-to-back for the first time since Aug. 25, 2014 with Delmon Young, J.J. Hardy and Davis.

The Indians rallied to beat the Blue Jays 3-2, allowing the Orioles (67-54) to stay 1 1/2 games behind in the American League East despite dropping back into third place.

Update: Showalter confirmed that the Orioles are prepared to make at least one roster move for Saturday's game, needing to bring up a long reliever. I'll predict again that it's Despaigne.

Wilson could be optioned. Mychal Givens isn't going anywhere and Donnie Hart is a second left-hander.

Here's Showalter:

On Miley: "We had a lot of struggles pitching, a lot of runs scored on both sides. He had decent enough stuff. Struck out some people early on. Gave up the home run and came back and struck out the side. I thought he might get in step there, but it's a tough lineup, tough matchup. Just never really got any consistent ...

"Every mistake he made they were on. They had a couple flares there to right that hurt us, too. You would have liked to go back out there with it 5-1 and get a shutdown inning. I know he's frustrated, but he's not the only one who struggled pitching tonight."

On what Miley needs to do to improve: "I think just results, you know? We're at that stage of the season where it's about results. Obviously, got a pretty good feel about what he has to do to be successful. Obviously, hasn't been getting results here we hoped to get lately, but he's got a track record for bouncing back and hopefully he'll pitch better next time out."

On needing long reliever after using three: "It's unusual. I think maybe we're the only team that has three long guys. We used them all tonight. Vance is a pretty durable guy but ... I haven't spoken to Dan (Duquette), but I'm sure we'll have to make some adjustments, especially with Chris pitching tomorrow. We hope everything's OK, but you've got to cover yourself in case he isn't. If he warms up and has an issue, what if."

On Hardy's defense: "How about those two plays J.J. Hardy made in a 15-8 game? That's impressive. That's why we have so much respect. Very impressive. Good player."

On losing despite scoring eight runs: "If you dwell too long on that ... The Giants, world champions, and have games like they had against us the other day. These are the best players in the world and things like that happen, things snowball. There's a fine line. If you're going to wallow around in self-pity ...

"Our guys turn the page very quickly, just like their team did before tonight's game. You can't sit there and live in that world. If you do, you're going to have it happen again and again and again. That's why our guys have been engaged in this division because they don't do that."