On frustrating night, more than ejection led to tough loss

It was a tough and frustrating night for the Orioles and their fans.

But in the end, the O's also contributed to their own demise last night. Orioles pitchers walked seven, including the eventual winning run when Brian Matusz issued a four-pitch free pass to start the bottom of the ninth.

The Orioles went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, including Chris Davis hitting into a double play with two on in the fourth and Manny Machado chasing a third strike with two on in the sixth.

The Orioles seemed to make a mistake in pitch selection when facing the No. 9 hitter in the fifth. Kevin Gausman was pitching to Ryan Hanigan, who to that point on the year was just 2-for-20.

On MASN's "O's Xtra" postgame show, Rick Dempsey pointed out how Hanigan was not getting around on Gausman's fastball, fouling off a few pitches. He was late on the heater. But then Gausman threw an 82 mph slider that sped up Hanigan's bat, helping the Red Sox catcher hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 2-2.

Not only was the pitch selection questionable, but so was the location. It was thrown over the inside corner. If Gausman buried the pitch low in the zone or threw to the outside corner, Hanigan probably would not hit that ball out.

All of this was overshadowed by home plate umpire Jordan Baker's quick ejection of Ubaldo Jimenez in the fourth after hitting Pablo Sandoval. Baker assumed - the Orioles said very incorrectly - that the Birds were upset over a hard slide two innings earlier and that Jimenez intentionally hit Sandoval in apparent retaliation.

Baker clearly assumed first, that he knew the Orioles were upset over the earlier slide and second, that he knew the intent of Jimenez as he threw that pitch.

That is a lot of assuming and mind-reading to be doing there. It cost the Orioles the pitcher that has been their best starter this year. He has given up just one hit and no runs over 10 2/3 innings. Then the bullpen got used up when it looked like Jimenez would pitch at least six or seven.

But in the end, the Orioles had the chance to, as Buck Showalter often says, "make it not matter."

They could not.

A frustrating loss during a frustrating 5-5 start that has featured the Orioles giving up 12 runs in their home opener, blowing a lead against the Yankees and losing a 2-0 lead last night in a game that ended in a walk-off loss.

The umpire's decision was terrible, but it was of course not the only reason the Orioles lost.

It has been one eventful stretch of 10 games to start the year. But that is the American League East where the rivalries are intense, the games are close and the endings produce real highs or lows many nights.

Now on to today for the Birds.