Post-game Notes: A's over O's

Jeremy Guthrie took his 12th loss tonight, that matches his total from all of last year. Guthrie gave up a season-high 11 hits along with five runs in 4 2/3 innings. He threw 107 pitches and is now 7-12, 5.43. He has made two starts vs. the A's this year and is 0-2, 18.57. He did not survive the first inning in a June 5th loss at Oakland. A's hitters have 18 hits in 34 at bats over those two starts vs. Guthrie this year for an average of .529. He has allowed four runs or more in 12 of his 23 starts. He has worked less than five innings four times, twice vs. Oakland. Where's the beef: The O's offense was in low gear again tonight. They produced just one run on nine hits and went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles have scored just six runs over the last three games and have scored three runs or less in five of the past six games and in 12 of the 24 second-half games. They are 0-12 in those games. The O's are 6 for 35 (.171) in their last three games when batting with RISP. Still Streaking - Nick Markakis doubled in the sixth inning tonight after an 0 for 2 start. And he reached base for the 31st straight game, the longest active streak in the Majors. Markakis has reached base safely in 97 of his 111 starts on the season. He now has a four-game hitting streak and, since the All-Star game, is batting .323-5-21. Luke Scott entered tonight in a 9 for 63 slump. His average was down to .270. After going 0 for 3 with two strikeouts he hit a solo homer leading off the ninth vs. Jeff Gray. It was his first homer since July 11th. Scott's homer was his 19th of the year and traveled 404 feet to center field. The Orioles have now lost nine in a row vs. Oakland. Their last win vs. the A's was on July 22, 2007. They are 0-4 vs. the A's this year and have been out-scored 30-6. They are 10-30 vs. Oakland since 2004. Some good days for the A's - The A's have now won six of eight and nine of their last 14 games and are 13-13 since the break. The A's have a 33-31 record vs. AL East and Central teams, but are just 17-31 vs. the AL West. Game time temperature was 93 degrees and the game was halted by a 52-minute rain delay in the last of the seventh inning.