Chris Davis hits go-ahead homer, but O's still fall in 11 (with quotes)

Chris Davis came through and Zach Britton didn't. These are different times in Birdland. Davis' homer provided an eighth-inning lead that Britton gave back in the ninth. It led to a loss in the 11th as Seattle beat the Orioles 8-7 at Camden Yards. The Mariners can sweep a four-game series with a win on Thursday afternoon.

Shortstop Jean Segura led off the 11th with a double off Mychal Givens. One out later, Kyle Seager singled off Donnie Hart to put runners on the corners. Denard Span's sac fly broke the 7-7 tie. Edwin Díaz got the Orioles out in the home half for this third save in three games in the series and 30th for the season.

The Orioles have lost 14 of their last 15 home games to fall to 23-56 overall and to 11-26 at Oriole Park. They are 0-12 this season versus American League West teams. Seattle had lost six of seven coming into this series, but can now sweep it. The Mariners are 50-31 and have won 17 of their last 26. They are 25-11 in one-run games.

With his club leading 7-5 in the ninth on Davis' three-run homer, Britton allowed a two-run shot to right by Seager that tied the game at 7-7 on his 15th home run. It was Britton's first blown save of 2018.

For Davis in the eighth, it was a situation where he has failed many times this year for the Orioles. Davis was 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts over his past three games and entered tonight batting just .147.

Manny Machado led off the eighth with an infield single off Alex Colomé and Danny Valencia singled. Two outs later, Davis drilled a 3-1 fastball 403 feet for his sixth homer and second in six games. It landed on Eutaw Street - the third home run hit there this year and the first by an Oriole. That provided a 7-5 lead and the chance for a feel-good win in regulation.

Orioles starter Alex Cobb had another frustrating night. He just can't seem to get on a roll. Coming of his best start of the year, Cobb allowed five runs as Seattle led 5-4 in the fifth.

Cobb escaped the first inning unscathed on 18 pitches, but the Mariners would score off him in three of the next four innings. He went 4 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits with three walks and one strikeout. The Orioles are 3-11 in his starts.

After Cobb's scoreless first, the Orioles moved ahead 2-0 in the first on Valencia's two-run homer. He hit a low cut fastball for No. 8 and it scored Trey Mancini, who led off the inning with a single for his fifth hit in his past 11 at-bats.

But Seattle tied it on Ryon Healy's solo homer in the second and Span's RBI single an inning later. Healy hit No. 15, which was a 416-foot blast to center. Span's single scored Segura after his leadoff double.

But the Orioles quickly moved ahead 4-2 in the home third. With one out, Adam Jones reached on a bunt single and Machado singled. Mark Trumbo's two-out single scored Jones and Machado came around to score when Span in left field threw home and it got by the catcher for an error.

The Orioles second lead of the night didn't last though. Seattle's three-run fifth knocked Cobb out, as Mike Wright Jr. came in, and the Mariners took a 5-4 lead. Cobb walked two in that inning around a double and that loaded the bases. Healy's sac fly cut the O's lead to 4-3. Mike Zunino's sharp single to center eluded Cobb's glove, plated two runs and gave the Mariners a 5-4 edge. Wright then replaced Cobb.

Over his last five starts Cobb has allowed one, nine, five, one and five runs. He gave up just four hits and one run on Friday at Atlanta. But tonight he allowed five or more runs for the seventh time in 14 starts and the third time in the last four.

Postgame quotes:

Cobb on his inability to find any consistency from start to start: "It's all mechanical. Went into this game today coming from the bullpen really excited because I felt like, not only did I have good stuff in the bullpen, but I was understanding why. And I get out to the game mound and it just kind of left me. Started having to battle from batter one and it eventually caught up to me.

"I've never had to think before. It was more just get the ball, think about what pitch you want to throw and just execute it. This year has been a lot more about trying to figure out the mechanical side of things and when you do find it, harness it and repeat it. The inconsistency on my end, really never dealt with it before, but it's really unacceptable to keep going out there and having a good game and then a game where you don't give much of an opportunity for your team to win."

Britton on allowing homer in the ninth: "Just no execution. It's been off and on the two weeks I've been back. Been kind of a battle to just be consistent (with a) delivery, let alone making good pitches to get hitters. Yeah, its been a grind. Have to make some adjustments to make the next two weeks better than these two weeks. That's all I can really do right now."

Britton on whether there a common theme in his struggles here and in Atlanta?: "Yeah, I mean just kind of leaving pitches out over the plate that are kind of flat. Not a whole lot of movement to them. Both times, I've kind of felt out of whack with my delivery. That's kind of been the main culprit. Trying to repeat my delivery and it just hasn't been there for me these last two weeks. Have to continue to work, that's all I can do. Try to get back to myself. It will take repetition and finding the delivery that I need to do to get the sink consistent and the command consistent. That is just what I'm going to have to do. Get back to myself. Long time off, so I knew it wouldn't be easy. I didn't want it to be like this, but it is what it is and I have to just push through it.

"Maybe it's not the way I was throwing a year ago or two years ago. I've got to find another way to make it happen. You can't be stubborn. You have to branch out and figure out how am I going to get back to myself now and you have to be open minded about things I'll try. It's not anywhere close right now, so I've got a lot of work to do to get back to where I want to get to."