For Hernandez, it starts well, but didn't end that way

O's starter David Hernandez must be wondering what he has to do to get a win. He began tonight with some of the best stuff he's had all year, at times dominating stuff. But he couldn't keep it going and, as usual when he pitches, there were not many runs to work with either. He remains winless on the year as the Orioles lost 5-1 to Seattle to begin an eight-game homestand. "I just talked to Matt (Wieters) right now and he said 'that's the best stuff you've had in the first four innings that I've ever caught you with.' I have to take something from this start. I need to throw my off-speed pitches over the plate, it's a key at this level." After getting through those first four innings on just 53 pitches in a 0-0 game, Hernandez walked four over the next two frames and a Nolan Reimold error didn't help as Seattle took a 5-0 lead. "I thought I had a pretty good fastball going, I was able to command it to both sides of the plate. But the third time with the lineup, you have to have something to throw off your fastball. I never really got the feel for my slider and they were able to sit fastball. "It's tough when you have something going good for four innings and then it falls apart in the fifth or sixth," said Hernandez, as he falls to 0-5, 5.84 in seven starts. Hernandez has lost his last 11 decisions, with his last win coming August 11, 2009. The only longer pitcher losing streak in O's history was when Mike Boddicker dropped 13 in a row in 1987 and 1988. Hernandez said the streak was not weighing on him. "I felt like the two prior starts we won the game. I'm not going out there to get myself a victory, I'm going out there for my team to get a W." While Hernandez has allowed 12 ER over 14 2/3 in his last three starts, his offense has abandoned him. When he has been in the game during his seven starts, the Orioles have scored a total of six runs. He was asked if he almost has to be perfect out there with that lack of run support. "I'm going out each start trying to pitch perfect. If you are not going out there to do that, there's no reason to be out there." Coming in my next post: Ty Wigginton and Nolan Reimold on the lack of offense.