Showalter speaks after 10-0 loss

The Orioles didn't pitch tonight and they didn't hit. If not for the fielding, including a spectacular running, leaping catch by Joey Rickard in right field that ended with him slamming against the wall, the night would have been a total loss.

Fortunately for the Orioles, this game only counts as one, no matter how ugly.

Ubaldo Jimenez was charged with six runs in 4 1/3 innings, and Brian Matusz let two inherited runners score and four of his own in 1 2/3 innings. Mariners left-hander Wade Miley surrendered two hits in six scoreless innings and the Orioles were thumped 10-0 at Camden Yards.

The Orioles (23-14) were shut out for the third time this season. The bats didn't come alive after Miley left. Two hits were it.

Ten runs are the most allowed by the Orioles this season and tonight represented their most lopsided defeat.

Jimenez threw 34 pitches in the first inning and fell behind 2-0. He threw 10 in the second, 14 in the third and 10 in the fourth while quieting the Mariners. The good version was back.

Jimenez retired 12 of 13 before Nori Aoki's infield hit with one out in the fifth. A walk and RBI singles by Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz ended his night. Matusz complicated it by serving up a three-run homer to left-handed hitting Kyle Seager on an 0-2 pitch.

Cruz had five RBIs, including his two-run homer off Matusz in the sixth that followed Cano's RBI double. Matusz has allowed eight runs and 11 hits in six innings, with seven walks and three home runs.

Jimenez's ERA is up to 5.60 in 45 innings. Matusz has a 12.00 ERA since coming off the disabled list.

The Orioles were hitless until Matt Wieters' leadoff single in the fifth on a ball that hit the base of the center field fence. Chris Davis doubled with two outs in the sixth for the other hit.

Former Oriole Steve Johnson got the last three outs after Hyun Soo Kim led off by reaching on an error. Manager Buck Showalter made massive substitutions and then took questions from the media.

On Jimenez:
"Just command. Command has been a challenge for us tonight. A lot of times he kind of may give up some damage early, but most of the time he falls in place and gives us a chance there. Thought it was going to happen again tonight there in the fifth. Just left him again."

On Matusz:
"It's been frustrating for him and for us because we know what he's been capable of in the past. We've done a lot of things. I think he had thrown 42 pitches down below. I was going to take him to as much as 50. I thought it might be really good for him. A lot of things we've done in the spring early on and in the past and did it again this year. Just did it on a rehab. Brian just hasn't found his step yet. It's a job we're going to need him to do what he's capable of doing as he has in the past. It just hasn't happened for him."

On being convinced Matusz is healthy:
"As convinced as what he tells me and everybody else tells me and all the rehab. He's had a lot of innings. I think that's his seventh or eighth outing. We've tried stretching him out and we've tried short. We'll continue to try. I know it's frustrating for him. Just his command has been a challenge for him. He's been doing some things to get some counts but he can't make that last pitch. He's not getting much early weak contact either so he's having to get deep in all counts."

On Miley:
"We knew we was coming off a good start. I'll tell you what he did, he really commanded the inner half with the fastball. It opened up the whole plate for him. You could tell coming into the game ... He consistently got the ball in and that made everything else work for him."

On glove work by Paul Janish and Joey Rickard:
"Great play by Paul tonight. Couple great plays by Joey. I was talking with Kirb (Wayne Kirby). Seems like he's really getting a feel for that wall out there. Early on it was a challenge, just not knowing with the third deck and the depth perception there. Little by little, you can tell his breaks are more confident, knowing where things are and the depth perception of the third deck. Vance Worley was solid in the role. To only use two relief pitchers in that game was pretty good."