Nelson Cruz drives in five runs as Seattle routs the Orioles

Coming into tonight, O's starting pitchers had put together a solid run to help the team move 10 games over .500. But that run did not continue.

Allowing four or more runs for the third time in his last four starts, Ubaldo Jimenez got knocked out with one out in the fifth as the Seattle Mariners routed the Orioles 10-0 to start a three-game series.

Following Jimenez to the mound, lefty reliever Brian Matusz could not stop the Mariners from scoring. He gave up five runs and two homers over 1 2/3 innings. His ERA jumped to 12.00 over seven appearances.

Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano combined to go 6-for-7 with two doubles, a homer, five runs and seven RBIs as Seattle improved to 22-16 overall and to 14-6 in road game. The Mariners are 20-10 since April 13.

The Orioles have lost back-to-back games for the first time since April 30-May 1. They are 23-14 for the season and 16-7 at home. They are 3-2 on this homestand.

Jimenez threw 34 pitches in a two-run first inning where he walked two and issued a wild pitch. A Cruz two-run single made it 2-0. Cruz started this game 0-for-12 against Jimenez. The O's right-hander got knocked out during Seattle's five-run fifth. The last two of his runs scored after he left the game. Called on to face lefty Kyle Seager, Matusz gave up a three-run homer on an 0-2 pitch as Seattle moved ahead 7-0. It was homer No. 8 for Seager.

Cano and Cruz continued to torment Matusz and the Orioles in the sixth inning. Cano delivered an RBI double and Cruz a two-run homer for a five-RBI night. Cruz has 10 RBIs his last seven games.

JImenez falls to 2-4 with an ERA of 5.60. He gave up five hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of 2016. Over his past four starts, he is 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA, allowing 18 runs in 22 innings.

Winning pitcher Wade Miley gave up just two hits over six innings to improve to 4-2 with an ERA of 4.32. The Orioles, who had scored 52 runs their past eight games, were shutout for the third time. Former Oriole Steve Johnson pitched the ninth to complete the shutout for Seattle.

The Orioles will try to even this series on Wednesday night when Chris Tillman (5-1, 2.58 ERA) pitches against right-hander Taijuan Walker (2-2, 2.63 ERA).