Orioles implode in middle innings and lose 5-4

MINNESOTA - The Orioles scored three runs in the first inning today and shut down. Kevin Gausman cruised through the fourth and spun out of control. A season that can't get any worse keeps finding ways.

Light-hitting Bobby Wilson's two-out, bases-loaded double in the sixth off Miguel Castro broke a 3-3 tie and the Twins rallied past the Orioles on their way to a 5-4 win at Target Field.

Castro replaced Gausman, who was done after throwing 41 pitches in the fifth to run his count to 90.

The Orioles are in danger of being swept in a four-game series in Minnesota for the first time in club history. They're 40 games below .500 at 24-64, are 12-35 on the road and have dropped 12 of 13.

Jace Peterson's two-out double in the ninth off Fernando Rodney scored Jonathan Schoop, but Tim Beckham grounded out. Peterson came within a few feet of tying the game.

Gausman took a one-hit shutout into the fifth, but five straight batters reached with one out. Max Kepler's home run reduced the lead to 3-1, and a double and single set up Wilson for an RBI single into right field. Joe Mauer walked and a wild pitch tied the game.

The next two batters struck out, but the damage was done.

Wilson was batting .113 when he poked his single into right field, through a spot vacated by second baseman Schoop in the infield alignment. The wild pitch came on a ball in the dirt in front of rookie catcher Chance Sisco.

The Twins loaded the bases against Castro with no outs in the sixth on Eduardo Escobar's double and two walks. Chris Davis fielded two ground balls and got the force at home both times, but Wilson lined a double into the left field corner to give Minnesota a 5-3 lead.

Jake Cave was out at the plate, but again, the damage was done.

Kyle Gibson no-hit the Orioles through six innings in March, but they manufactured and mashed today in the first inning. No sense taking any unnecessary chances. Cover all the bases, so to speak.

Beckham doubled on the first pitch of the game and came around on ground balls by Adam Jones and Manny Machado. Mark Trumbo walked and Davis drove a pitch an estimated 418 feet to center field, with Cave unable to mimic his world-class goalie skills of previous games.

The Orioles scored two runs or fewer in seven of their last eight games, but Davis pushed them over the marker with his eighth home run of the season. Cave couldn't bring back an 88 mph fastball that Davis turned around, though he did make a diving catch in the third to rob Jones.

Davis has three home runs in his last 10 games and he's making more solid contact since the benching, the outs getting louder except for the strikeouts.

(No. 1,306 came against Trevor Hildenberger to end the eighth inning and give Davis the club record that belonged to Cal Ripken Jr.)

Gausman threw only eight pitches in the bottom of the first for a shutdown inning and retired eight of the first nine batters. A Davis error accounted for the only Twins baserunner until Mauer led off the fourth with a single.

High early pitch counts have dogged Gausman, but that didn't seem to be the case today. He also required only eight pitches in the third inning. Eddie Rosario saw eight in his at-bat in the fourth, flying out after Mauer's leadoff single, but Gausman retired the next three batters and was back in the dugout at 49.

Times were good, and then they weren't.

Eight batters came to the plate in the fifth, Gausman threw 41 pitches and the rotation remained stuck on 41 quality starts. Today marked Gausman's shortest outing since he lasted 2 2/3 innings against the Rays on May 27.

Beckham lined his leadoff double to right field, another hit going to the opposite field, and the ground balls were productive outs. Jones tried to lay down a bunt. Peterson succeeded in the second inning, but Gibson retrieved the ball and threw him out.

The Orioles want to shed the all-or-nothing approach that defines them. Trumbo walked twice in the first three innings. Davis also walked in the third to load the bases with two outs, but Danny Valencia struck out for the second time.

Trumbo and Davis drew four-pitch walks in the inning. Valencia swung at the next two pitches and fell behind 0-2 before working the count full and whiffing on a slider.

Taming the aggression won't happen overnight.

The Orioles threatened a few times after the first-inning uprising, but they left the bases loaded in the third and wasted Schoop's leadoff double in the fourth. Schoop singled in the ninth and has eight hits in the last five games.

Gibson retired 11 of 12 batters after Schoop's double, which was the Orioles' last hit until Jones led off the eighth by doubling off Hildenberger.

Breaking balls continue to perplex the Orioles, who go fishing and come back with an empty hook. Gibson fed them a steady diet of sliders - the only time sliders are recommended on a diet - and it became a swing-and-miss pitch for him.

Tanner Scott registered another scoreless inning, and two more strikeouts, while stranding a runner in the seventh. Zach Britton entertained scouts by retiring the side in order with a strikeout in the eighth.

Britton's fastball topped out at 96.7 mph.