Clubhouse quotes after a second straight blowout loss

NEW YORK - After a second straight blowout loss at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles' recent pitching numbers look bleak. Now the fans have to hope the season outlook doesn't match that.

The Orioles fell to 70-59 with today's 13-5 loss to the Yankees. Toronto beat Minnesota, so the Orioles are three games out of first in the American League East and trying to hang onto the second AL wild card.

Whatever positives they put forth in winning three of four from the Nationals have been washed away amid a torrent of Yankees runs this weekend.

They've lost 14-4 and 13-5 here and New York has hit .429, going 36-for-82 with six homers and a batting average of .519 (14-for-27) with runners in scoring position in the two games.

It certainly is a challenging time for manager Buck Showalter's Orioles. It's the first time the club has allowed at least 13 runs in back-to-back games since May 19-20, 2011. It's the first time an O's staff has given up at least 18 hits in back-to-back games since Aug. 11-12, 1993 against Detroit.

"It always is (challenging)," Showalter said. "From Day One, it's a challenging time. What's going on right now doesn't surprise anybody. They've all experienced it. The Yankees have, we have. It happens different times of the season. They're all challenging times, and our guys always seem to respond well."

The Orioles bullpen has an ERA of 9.46 over the last nine games and the staff has an ERA of 8.23 in the last 11 games. Why is the staff struggling so much right now?

"T.J. (McFarland) just got back from a two-month sabbatical," Showalter said. "Brad (Brach) and Zach (Britton) and Mychal (Givens) pitched some big innings for us here recently, back to the Washington series. Other teams were good, too.

"All pitching everywhere is a little worn down some. That's why you see some lopsided games. That's a tough time, August. That's why we try to be so diligent in April, May June and July, making sure you have your bullets this time of year. We will. We were able to stay away from people getting overextended."

But now yet another roster move may be needed for the pitching staff. Jason Garcia and Oliver Drake are pitchers on the 40-man roster who could potentially be added. Each day seems to require another fresh arm.

More clubhouse quotes:

T.J. McFarland on his struggles today: "I can't really pinpoint it. Obviously, I left a lot of balls up in the zone and they were able to capitalize on it. It's frustrating. I tried to come in and do a job there and give length to the bullpen and I wasn't able to do that. It kind of stresses the rest of the guys down there in the 'pen. But you know, you get kicked down, you have to get back up and do it again tomorrow.

"We obviously have got to get some outs and start having some clean innings. It starts tomorrow with how Gaus (Kevin Gausman) throws. Take that game and just go day by day."

Dylan Bundy on allowing five runs over four innings: "Not good. Anytime you can't get through five or six innings, it's not a quality start. I didn't give my team a very good chance to win today. That's my fault. Got to get better next time. You want to give your team five, six innings, to give your team a shot. I didn't do that today."

Bundy said short starts are stressing the bullpen: "I'm sure it tires them out. I was in the bullpen the first half. So when the starters aren't going five or six innings, it's tough on the bullpen. I feel for them. We've just got to do a better job and we plan on it."

Manny Machado on whether the pitchers are in a funk?: "I don't think they're in a funk. I mean, things aren't going for us. Things aren't going for us at all. They're getting key hits with guys in scoring position. Just part of this long season, part of the process. It's not like they're in a funk. Our pitching staff is still doing good. They're making the pitches they need to make. You've got to give credit to the hitters on the other side.

"Keep battling. Turn the page. Tomorrow's another day. Tomorrow, hopefully it's a beautiful sunny day, and we can come out there and play some baseball, and see what comes out of it."

Machado on what's going wrong right now?: "It's just not going for us. Nothing really, really to it. Just not getting any hits, clean hits. Just outhitting us. They're doing what they need to be doing, and we're not. Nothing's falling for us. No excuses. We've got to keep grinding it, turn the page. Keep going for it."

The Orioles hit three more homers today. Chris Davis hit two for his 17th career multi-homer game. The Orioles have hit 202 homers on the year and now have five straight seasons of 200 or more. The last team with five straight years of 200 or more homers was the Yankees from 2000-2007.

In Sunday's series finale, the O's need to win to avoid a sweep when Gausman (5-10, 3.92 ERA) pitches against lefty CC Sabathia (8-10, 4.33 ERA) at 1:05 p.m.