Angels push across go-ahead run in eighth for 5-4 win

On a day that Orioles pitchers walked nine, two free passes in the top of the eighth proved very costly. They led to the game-winning run as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Orioles 5-4 at Oriole Park.

The Angels win the series, two games to one. The Orioles have now won the opening game of four straight series without winning any of the series. They fall to 60-64 and have lost eight of their past 12 games. The Orioles are four games under .500 for the first time since July 30.

The O's put two on against former Oriole Bud Norris with one out in the ninth, but he fanned Caleb Joseph and got Tim Beckham to ground out back to the mound to hold on.

Starting his second inning of relief, right-hander Brad Brach walked two batters around a strikeout to start the eighth of a 4-4 game and Mychal Givens came on. Cameron Maybin's pinch-hit two-out single to right scored the go-ahead run for the 5-4 lead.

Earlier, after hitting nine homers in the series first two games, Kole Calhoun connected for a solo shot in the second as the Angels took a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman walked two and an Albert Pujols RBI single made it 2-0.

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, who was sick and missed the last two games, returned to the lineup with a homer to left in the third inning. He hit No. 19 on a 2-0 fastball from former Oriole Parker Bridwell and the O's trailed 2-1.

Each team scored in a pretty wild sixth inning that ended in a 4-4 tie. The Angels lead grew to 4-1 when Andrelton Simmons hit No. 13, a two-run homer to left off Tillman. Tillman left a slider up and in and Simmons hit the Angels' 11th homer of the series.

The O's scored three runs, two of which were unearned, in the home half for the tie. Joseph led off with a single and advanced to second on an error by second baseman Cliff Pennington. Manny Machado singled to load the bases and Jonathan Schoop followed with a two-run single to center that pulled the O's within 4-3. Schoop now has 88 RBIs.

Later in the inning, Mark Trumbo lined a double to right-center that would have easily scored two runs for a 5-4 lead, but it bounced over the fence, Adam Jones was sent back to first base and the score became 4-4.

Tillman had a start for the Orioles where he missed the target often, tied his career high with six walks and threw 99 pitches, just 49 for strikes. He went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and four runs in getting a no-decision. Tillman, making his first start since Aug. 3, had not issued six walks since Sept. 19, 2010.

Orioles starters have an ERA of 9.78 over the past five games, allowing 25 runs over 23 innings.

Bridwell, who had allowed two runs or less in eight of his 11 starts, went five innings plus four batters and gave up six hits and four runs (two earned) on 81 pitches. Neither starter factored in the decision.

The Angels improved to 64-60, completed a 7-2 road trip and have won nine of their last 11. They are 4-2 versus the Orioles.

The Orioles will now welcome Oakland to town on Monday night when lefty Wade Miley (6-10, 5.21 ERA) faces right-hander Chris Smith (0-2, 5.26 ERA).