O's early lead evaporates in 7-4 loss in series opener (with quotes)

The Orioles hit two early homers. They had right-hander Dylan Bundy on the mound and he blanked the New York Yankees through three innings. With a 3-0 lead, the Orioles were off to a good start today.

But it didn't last. The Yankees would score seven runs over the next three innings to storm back and beat the Orioles 7-4 today in front of 37,622 at Camden Yards. New York takes the opener of a three-game series.

Bundy, who had pitched a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts Tuesday against Seattle, did not record an out in the fifth today. The four-innings plus tied for his shortest outing of the year, also done July 1 against Tampa Bay.

The Orioles used five pitchers and they combined to walk 10 batters. Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro hit two-run homers for the Yankees, who are 8-5 this season against the Orioles. New York was just 9-24 in Baltimore since 2014 until this win.

Bundy allowed five hits and five runs with four walks, five strikeouts and two homers on 98 pitches. He needed 37 in the fourth when New York scored three to tie the game. When he gave up a single and Castro's homer in the fifth, his day was over.

Bundy falls to 13-9 with an ERA of 4.12. He had gone 4-0 with an ERA of 2.00 in five August starts. The Orioles had been 7-0 in his starts since the All-Star game.

Baltimore grabbed an early 3-0 lead. Tim Beckham led off the home first with his 19th homer and seventh with the Orioles. It was his third career leadoff homer - all coming this year - and the O's 10th of the season. When Chris Davis homered just over the wall in left an inning later, the O's had the early 3-0 lead as Davis hit No. 23 on a Jordan Montgomery slider.

With two outs in the top of the ninth Welington Castillo homered off Dellin Betances for the game's final run. It was his 19th homer of the year to tie his career high and his fifth in the last eight games.

The Orioles had just three hits after the second inning. They fall to 70-68 for the year and to 43-29 at home and have scored just 12 runs their past four games. They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position today and are 2-for-37 the last four games with RISP.

The Orioles began the day 1 ½ games back of Minnesota for the second AL wild card spot. The Twins play Tampa Bay tonight.

In the second game of this series on Tuesday at Oriole Park, right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (8-8, 5.15 ERA) faces lefty CC Sabathia (11-5, 3.71 ERA).

Postgame quotes

Davis on if it was disappointing not to build on early lead: "Absolutely. Especially with the way things have gone the last few days. Feel like we are having to scratch and claw for every run. Just really battled to the last out. Anytime you are in this position as far as the postseason is concerned, you know that it's not going to be easy. But you have to find a way to break through and come away with a win."

Davis with more on not scoring much after the second: "I just think it was kind of deflating. I think you could just kind of feel the momentum shift over into their dugout and they took it and ran with it. There's a reason they've been at the top or near the top of the division all year. We definitely have our work cut out for us."

Bundy on if Yankees hitters made adjustments second time to bat: "I mean the whole game really, I thought the first couple of innings I was getting away with some stuff. Missing my spots and they were just hitting the ball right to people. But that's a tough lineup over there. They didn't swing at too many pitches that were borderline pitches and they fouled off the good ones. Tough team."

Bundy on if he needed to get deep in game to rest bullpen?: "You never feel like you need to, you expect to. Your goal as a starter is to go at least six, seven innings and give your team a chance to win. Just keep your team involved the game."

Bundy on tough 37-pitch fourth inning: "Yeah, it wasn't easy. Just missed spots, command (off). That is all it was."

Bundy on if he was fatigued after pitching a complete game Tuesday: "No, I didn't feel fatigued. I felt like stuff-wise was good, ball was coming out all right and body felt great. Stuff-wise was fine it was just really command and location of my pitches today."