O's bats quiet in loss against Smyly, Tampa Bay

Since he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on July 31, left-hander Drew Smyly had pitched to an ERA of 1.55 over four starts and 0.76 over his last three. The Orioles saw why tonight. Smyly gave up one run and two hits over seven innings as Tampa Bay beat the Orioles 3-1 at Camden Yards. He walked one and fanned six, throwing 87 pitches. Smyly pitched a two-hit shutout on 105 pitches against Toronto in his last start and had allowed just nine hits in 23 2/3 innings in those last three starts coming in. He is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in five starts for Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Kevin Gausman lasted just four innings tonight, which ties the shortest outing of his 20-start big league career. He gave up six hits and three runs (two earned) with no walks and four strikeouts. He threw 80 pitches, and falls to 7-6 with an ERA of 3.84. Gausman is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA in five August starts. The Orioles bullpen recorded five scoreless innings as T.J. McFarland pitched three while Tommy Hunter and Darren O'Day went one inning each. The O's 'pen has recorded 13 scoreless innings over the last four games and has worked to an ERA of 1.28 the last 14 games. Tampa Bay scored twice in the top of the first on a Matt Joyce grounder and Wil Myers' bloop single to right. On the first run, second baseman Jonathan Schoop threw home with the infield playing back at normal depth and the throw was late. Ben Zobrist added a sac fly for a 3-0 lead in the Rays second. Chris Davis hit a solo homer to right in the last of the second. He hit No. 23 on a 92 mph fastball on a 2-1 pitch. It was his eighth homer against left-handed pitching. The Orioles lost for the fourth time in six games, and are 75-56. They are now 36-27 at home, 10-5 against Tampa and 32-20 versus the American League East. In the fourth and final game of this series Thursday night, Bud Norris (11-8, 3.91 ERA) faces right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (1-2, 2.56 ERA).