Pearce on lack of runs, Chen on his outing, Wilson on big league debut

After scoring nine runs last night, the Orioles were held to a pair tonight in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

They fall to 17-20 for the season and have scored just eight runs in their last five losses. The Orioles have scored three runs or less in nine of their last 14 games.

"(Roenis) Elias pitched a great game," Steve Pearce said. "He was working quick, throwing strikes and getting ahead early. He kept us off balance and tomorrow we have to do a better job to win this series.

"We haven't played consistent baseball all year. We haven't been playing good baseball all year and we're still right here (in the standings). We're not pressing yet."

The Orioles scored once in the eighth and once in the ninth off Seattle closer Fernando Rodney. They put two runners on to start the ninth but scored just one of them when Chris Davis and Pearce were called out on strikes.

It was disappointing to not cash in there.

"Definitely," Pearce said. "We put ourselves in a hole early but we gave ourselves a chance at the end. Unfortunately we didn't get the job done. He (Rodney) threw some good changeups and is a tough guy to hit. I didn't get the job done, but we still had a chance to win it."

Wei-Yin Chen became the sixth straight Orioles starter to go seven or more innings when he went seven, allowing four runs to fall to 1-3 with an ERA of 2.90.

"I think there were some mistakes tonight on my control," he said through his interpreter. "Being able to get through seven innings is the only thing I can say was good. So I will try to make an adjustment in my next bullpen. Try to do better the next outing."

Chen gave up a two-run homer to Justin Ruggiano in the Seattle fourth. Before the homer, Chen may have had Ruggiano out on strikes but didn't get a call. Did that frustrate him?

"Not really. In the past I might get affected by a close call," he said. "But this year I try to forget about it if I don't get a close call and just make the next pitch."

The game featured the major league debut of the Orioles' 2014 minor league Pitcher of the Year, right-hander Tyler Wilson. He was activated off the taxi squad and officially recalled from Triple-A on Tuesday, and tonight, he pitched a scoreless ninth inning. He got out of a two-on, one-out jam when he got Robinson Cano to ground into a double play.

He said his first few days as an Oriole have been pretty amazing.

"It's been exhilarating. The guys have been welcoming and made me feel like part of the team. Tonight was the icing on that to actually get out there and feel like I was contributing to the game," Wilson said. "These guys have been great since spring training, and I've gotten to know them. Trying to enjoy it and do whatever I can to help this team."