The runs are scarce, but strikeouts plentiful recently for the Orioles

HOUSTON - Well, if you want to say the Orioles' offense is inconsistent, you will not get too many arguments right now. The Orioles have been held to just seven runs and have struck out 40 times the last three games.

Over 13 innings of last night's 3-2 loss to Houston, they struck out 19 times. From the ninth inning on, they struck out 12 times. So 12 of their last 15 outs came via a strikeout. Their last six outs came that way.

It was one really bad game for the offense. But that is all it was, catcher Matt Wieters said.

"It's just one game," he said. "It would have been nice to win it, but once it's over, it's over. We will come out ready (today). Our pitching threw the ball great, which is great. We're not worried about the offense at all. We'll get swinging, get going."

Center fielder Adam Jones had some candid comments in the postgame clubhouse.

"We have a team that drives the ball," he said. "And, the opposite of driving the ball is strikeouts. We've got some guys - myself, CD (Chris Davis), (Mark) Trumbo - that will strike out from time to time. It's okay, but I think people are happy with how we drive the ball and the numbers we usually put up. The last few games, we racked up some strikeouts, but it's all part of it. Because as soon we start to drive the ball and hit the home runs and get extra-base hits, you guys are going to forget all about it. It's frustrating and I'm sure the fans are frustrated."

To read more of Jones' postgame comments, click here.

Manager Buck Showalter said the 13-inning loss would not be hard to bounce back from and will not linger.

"No. We don't live in that world. I know people that watch it....if you live in that world, you are not going to be at this level very long," he said.

Showalter was pleased with the strong pitching on Tuesday from Chris Tillman and the bullpen and was disappointed the Orioles could not turn the good pitching into a win. Even in playing so many innings, Showalter felt his bullpen would be in good shape for tonight's game. He said only one pitcher used would not be available tonight. Brad Brach threw 30 pitches in the game and Mychal Givens threw 29 pitches.

A few notes on the Orioles and Astros:

* Houston's bullpen tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings in their win. That is the most scoreless innings in a single game by the Houston bullpen since eight on June 11, 2003 at Yankee Stadium in a combined six-pitcher no-hitter.

* The Orioles won their first two extra-innings games before Tuesday's loss, dropping them to 5-4 in one-run games and to 13-8 in games decided by two or fewer runs.

* Manny Machado hit his 13th homer to tie Mark Trumbo for the team lead. Machado has hit six homers in May. He has hit more career homers this month with 15, than any other month in his career.

* The O's offense has produced just 23 runs and a team average of .197 the past seven games. They have scored three or less in five of those games.

* Houston shortstop Carlos Correa ended the game with his second-career walk-off hit. This time it was a single off Dylan Bundy. That ended an 0-for-15 stretch for Correa who had just one hit his last 24 at-bats before his game-ending single.

* Givens pitched 2 1/3 scoreless with four strikeouts. He now has 29 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings. Givens began last night with a batting average against of .524 (11-for-21) versus left-handed batters. But lefty hitters went 0-for-3 against him Tuesday.