One-run short: O's fall 2-1 as Cleveland takes three of four

Kevin Gausman pitched a very strong game. But so did Carlos Carrasco as the Orioles bats fell mostly silent again tonight.

Cleveland beat the Orioles 2-1 at to take the last three games and three of four in this series. The loss was the Orioles ninth in 10 games and 11th in 13 contests as they fall to 6-17. Cleveland is 12-8 and has won nine of its past 12 games.

Gausman began tonight with a 13.50 ERA and batting average against of .429 in the first inning of his starts this year, and then he allowed a leadoff walk. He would need 22 pitches, but he put up a zero in the first.

However, the second inning bit him tonight.

Cleveland's Yonder Alonso blasted a 421-foot, two-run homer to center for a 2-0 lead. He hit a 91 mph Gausman fastball on a 1-0 pitch for his fifth of the year. It followed Edwin Encarnacion's leadoff single in the second.

The Orioles cut their deficit in half in the home second. Adam Jones and Chris Davis led off with singles against Carlos Carrasco. Chance Sisco's one-out ground single to right scored Jones and Cleveland's lead was 2-1. It was Sisco's fifth RBI.

Both pitchers settled in nicely over the middle innings as the 2-1 score held. Carrasco was getting many quick outs, needing just 29 pitches through three innings and 49 through five.

Carrasco faced the minimum nine batters in the fourth through the sixth. Manny Machado made a baserunning mistake and was doubled off first base 8-3 to end the sixth. He either thought Adam Jones liner to center would fall for a hit or he lost track of the outs.

In the bottom of the seventh, Danny Valencia doubled to center with one out, but Carrasco struck out Sisco and Anthony Santander flied out. The Oriole stranded two in the eighth as Andrew Miller replaced Carrasco and retired Jones to end the inning.

The Orioles have scored just 19 runs in 10 home games, going 3-7. Tonight they scored three or fewer runs for the 16th time in 23 games.