Gausman not sharp as O's lose opener against Tampa Bay

Since he last started for the Orioles, Kevin Gausman was optioned to the minor leagues, pitched an inning at Triple-A Norfolk and threw a bullpen session with Double-A Bowie.

Did all of that throw Gausman off his recent form?

It's a question worth asking after he gave up five runs and seven hits and was not sharp today as Tampa Bay beat the Orioles 5-2 in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Gausman pitched a scoreless first, but gave up two runs in the second, one in the fourth and two in the sixth. Over five innings plus two batters, he walked a season-high four, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch. Gausman threw 95 pitches, just for 50 strikes.

Gausman falls to 3-2 with an ERA of 3.86 in five starts.

In his three previous O's starts, he went 3-0 with an ERA of 0.95 over 19 innings, allowing just two runs with five total walks. He had not walked this many in any of his 15 starts on the year between Triple-A and the majors.

Meanwhile, the Orioles offense did very little off 25-year-old right-hander Alex Colome, Tampa Bay's No. 5 prospect according to Baseball America.

In his fourth career start, he went 5 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits and one run, throwing 104 pitches. The O's scored in the first on a Chris Davis RBI groundout.

They didn't score again until Manny Machado's solo homer to left off Brad Boxberger in the seventh. It was Machado's fifth of the year and first since June 6. He had gone 18 games without a home run. Machado went 2-for-3 today and is 8-for-19 over his last five games.

The Orioles bullpen pitched four scoreless innings, getting two each from Evan Meek and Brad Brach. Over the last six games, O's relievers have allowed just one earned run over 23 innings.

Now 18-19 at home, 7-2 against Tampa Bay and 41-37 for the season, the Orioles host the Rays tonight at 7:05 in Game 2.

Chris Tillman (6-4, 4.45 ERA) faces Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi (3-7, 4.29 ERA). The Orioles are 10-6 in Tillman's starts this year. He is 0-4 with an ERA of 2.78 in six home starts this year.