More bad times in Bronx for Orioles in 9-3 loss (with quotes)

NEW YORK - Jeremy Hellickson walked Chase Headley today with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and received a group visit from head athletic trainer Richie Bancells, manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Roger McDowell.

Only three of them returned to the dugout. Hellickson stayed on the mound without throwing a single warmup pitch. Whatever happened to initiate the meeting must have passed.

If only the same could be said for everything that's ailing the Orioles over the final month of the season.

Aaron Judge walked on four pitches and Didi Gregorius hit a three-run homer to right field to break a scoreless tie, Greg Bird added a three-run shot into the second deck and the Orioles lost for the ninth time in 10 games, 9-3, before an announced crowd of 40,114 at Yankee Stadium.

The Orioles (72-77) fell five games below .500 for the first time since July 29 and must go 9-4 to avoid their first losing season since 2011. They've surrendered 98 runs in nine games in the Bronx and 150 versus the Yankees this season, the most scored by a team against any opponent in the expansion era (since 1961).

The 150 runs break the Orioles record for the most allowed to any opponent in a single season. The Yankees scored 148 against them in 22 games in 1955.

The record was set on Todd Frazier's two-run shot off Donnie Hart in the seventh inning that gave New York a 9-0 lead - the 31st home run surrendered by the Orioles at Yankee Stadium in nine games. They've lost eight.

Bird's home run ended Hellickson's day before he could record an out in the fourth inning. Hellickson has registered a 7.29 ERA in nine starts with the Orioles after allowing six runs today.

Chris Tillman, making his first appearance since Sept. 8 in Cleveland, allowed one run and four hits over three innings. Jacoby Ellsbury grounded an RBI single into left field in the fifth after an infield hit and hit batter.

The offense managed four hits in six innings against left-hander Jordan Montgomery and only six overall, the last on Austin Hays' first career home run in the ninth. J.J. Hardy, in his first game since June 18, singled in the fifth and seventh and walked in the ninth.

Chasen Shreve gave up Hays' home run and walked the bases loaded. Giovanny Gallegos balked in a run to prolong the agony.

The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in nine of the last 10 games. The problems, like tree roots, run deep and in numerous directions.

Maybe fans can be distracted by the blossoming of Hays' major league career.

Hays collected his first major league hit with a single into center field with one out in the third inning. The Orioles retrieved the ball for him and Manny Machado tossed a different one into the stands - the same move he used on Chance Sisco a few nights ago.

Hays was 0-for-7 before the single, and he later walked and hit a two-run shot off Shreve with one out in the ninth. He allowed himself a tiny grin after the single, but the game face returned.

The Orioles had a chance to take the first lead after Hays' single. Joey Rickard hit into a force and stole second base with two outs despite breaking too early as Montgomery threw behind him. Tim Beckham struck out for the second time to end the rally.

Beckham was serving as designated hitter for the first time in 2017. He went 0-for-3 with two walks and is 10-for-61 this month and 5-for-35 in his last nine games.

The game began to unravel for the Orioles again in the bottom of the third and became a real mess in the fourth after Ellsbury's leadoff double and Frazier's walk - the fourth issued by Hellickson. Bird destroyed a changeup and another rout was in the works.

On this date three years ago, the Orioles clinched the American League East at home. They've been reduced now to the chase for .500.

Update: The Yankees will start Sonny Gray on Sunday instead of left-hander CC Sabathia.

The eight losses in the Bronx are the most for the Orioles since going 1-10 in 1960.

Showalter on Bancells checking on Hellickson: "He just said his back kind of tightened up on him on the one pitch to Gardner. He said after that it was fine. His stuff just wasn't real crisp. He was getting by with the changeup. I think they saw he wasn't commanding his fastball very well and started sitting on it."

Showalter on Hellickson home runs: "His stuff's down a little bit. He had a couple good outings when that fastball's 90-92, but the curveball hasn't been a pitch. Usually he gets ahead in some counts with it. He's had to go to the cutter some and they're a lot of the same-speed pitches."

Showalter on trouble in the Bronx moreso than home: "There's a lot of things you could look into. We've made really a lot of bad pitches that should end up in the bleachers. And we walk people before they hit then, so that's a bad combination. There's a lot of bad pitches being made with some stuff that isn't up to what they're capable of taking out there."

Showalter on Hays and Sisco taking advantage of chances and getting comfortable: "I don't care how long, how painful it is, anything that's not in the Orioles' best interest is painful for all of us. But you do need to step back and realize what huge moments those are for those two young men, regardless of where it's at and what venue it's at. They're almost trying to hide their elation. Since they were young boys they probably dreamed of moments like that. I gave Chance the lineup card and I'm sure I'll give it to Austin. Those are huge moments for them."

Hellickson on his back: "Yeah, just felt a little tightness, a little spasm, in the Gardner at-bat. Just really didn't get loose after that, but, it really didn't hurt or bother me. I just didn't execute."

Hellickson on the walks: "It hurt a lot. It's kind of been strange, three of the last four starts, I think I've had four walks in all three of them. I really haven't gone through anything like that. Then the game in between, I have no walks. I'm kind of fighting myself, fighting my delivery. You know, just kind of difficult to get the ball down right now."

Hellickson on frustration for team and him personally: "Yeah, it's been tough. We were right in the thick of things a few weeks ago and, yeah, it's been frustrating."

Hays on what it's like to get a hit and home run: "It was definitely a weight lifted off my shoulders there, get the monkey off my back. Get the first hit and carry it into a couple more good ABs and putting a good swing on a good pitch to hit that last AB."

Hays on getting his timing back: "Like I said, just building my routine and the routine here, the team. What time we get to the field and when I can do my stuff. Just incorporate what I like to do to get myself ready and incorporate that into the team's schedule."

Hays on conflicting feeling of being happy for opportunity while team struggles: "We're in a rough patch right here, but hopefully these upcoming games we can get something rolling and put together some wins."

Hardy on being back on lineup and getting two hits: "Yeah, it would have been a lot better had it been a better game. It was nice to be back out there, just sucks that it was in a blowout."

Hardy on team's bad stretch: "It's frustrating. It's tough that we run into Cleveland as hot as they were, go up and play Toronto, lose two there. And come here and just haven't been playing too well. So it's been a frustrating stretch."

Hardy on whether it's been hard to watch team from bench: "It's been hard, yeah. It's been hard, but can't say it's been harder than it was today. That's bad also. Just frustrating."

Hardy on Orioles struggling more vs. Yankees on road: "No idea. I'm aware of it. I think we all are, but i don't know what the answer is."