Orioles talk about the two pitches that cost them a game

Catcher Matt Wieters called them two mistake pitches, and tonight they turned a possible comeback win into a loss for the Orioles.

Boston outfielder Mookie Betts, who hit five homers earlier this season in a two-game span at Camden Yards, hit two more tonight, leading Boston past the Orioles 5-3.

It was quite a show by Betts, who hit a three-run homer off Yovani Gallardo for a 3-0 lead in the fifth. After the Orioles tied the game at 3-3, Betts hit a two-run shot off Brad Brach in the eighth. Two swings leading to one big win for the Red Sox, who tied the Orioles at 66-52. Both teams are one game behind Toronto in the American League East.

"I think the first homer was a slider that went middle-middle," Wieters said. "And just kind of went down as opposed to across for Yovani. The one off Brad, he hit off the end (of his bat). I think he might have broken his bat, but it was supposed to be in and it ended up kind of down and away.

"Just make better pitches (tomorrow). When guys are hot, mistakes are something they live on. So being able to execute quality pitches - you know pitching is going to beat hitting most times if you can make quality pitches. We played pretty well except for two mistakes to Mookie. You know, right now, he is making you pay when you make a mistake to him. So we have to do better tomorrow."

Brach continues to struggle. Over his last nine innings, he has allowed seven runs as his ERA has increased from 0.86 to 1.61.

Does Wieters see anything different recently with Brach?

"Not really," Wieters said. "It is always going to go to location. I think his fastball location isn't quite as good. When he had the first half he had, that was pretty amazing. He'll work to get it back. A few runs here and there is just going to make him work that much harder."

Brach talked about the pitch to Betts and his recent struggles.

"A fastball that kind of cut on me," he said. "Was trying to go away and out with it. Just a bad pitch and he took a good swing and hit it out. Unfortunately, it kind of took the wind out of the sails after we got back in that game. He's hot right now. He's a good player.

"I'm probably thinking about it and talking about it too much. Honestly, I don't know what is different. Like I said, probably just thinking about it too much and worrying about every single pitch I throw rather than just going out there and throwing like I know I can."

Gallardo allowed four hits and three runs with five walks and two strikeouts over five innings. He took a Dustin Pedroia liner off his right forearm in the fifth inning, three batters before Betts' first homer. But he didn't give up the homer because of he was hurting.

"No, of course not," Gallardo said. "I think I just made a mistake. I was able to get that big strikeout on (David) Ortiz for the second out. Then first pitch, I was trying to throw it away there to Betts and it backed up. It backed up and made a mistake and he is going to hit mistakes. No excuses. No matter what, I have to make a pitch and get out of that inning, especially after that big strikeout.

"It's all right. It got me pretty good. It's a little stiff, but I'll be all right. If you were to get hit, it hit one spot that is mostly muscle. Just see how it feels tomorrow. Think I'll be all right."