Showalter on lack of bullpen lefties (O's lose 12-6)

SEATTLE - As the Orioles face Seattle here at Safeco Field in this four-game series they are playing with just one left-hander in their bullpen, closer Zach Britton.

Lefty T.J. McFarland went on the disabled list on Thursday and was replaced by a right-hander. Are the O's a little short on southpaws in the bullpen?

"It would be an excuse that we are not going to use," manager Buck Showalter said before tonight's game. "I think it will change at some point. It's a little unconventional, but not to say it can't be done the way it currently is. Mike Scioscia and some of those good Anaheim teams, they never had a lefty down there. I'd rather take a good right-hander than a bad left-hander. Not that we have bad left-handers."

During that pregame session this afternoon, Showalter told reporters a story about Single-A Frederick lefty reliever Tanner Scott and what happened in a game last night. Scott is one of the club's top pitching prospects. Showalter said O's director of player development Brian Graham relayed the story to him.

"Tanner Scott threw a 100 mph pitch last night and the guy hit it 100 mph back up the middle," Showalter said. "It hit him in the chest. Ricocheted into left field. He never left his feet, got back on the mound and struck the next two guys out. Brian was recounting that to me. That is why I like reading the minor league reports every day."

A Cruz missile for the M's tonight: Former Oriole Nelson Cruz blasted a three-run homer in the last of the first to put Seattle ahead 3-0 on the Orioles and right-hander Tyler Wilson. It was No. 21 for Cruz and scored Seth Smith and Robinson Cano, who had singled.

In the Seattle second, Wilson allowed a leadoff double by Adam Lind and a line shot two-run homer to left to catcher Mike Zunino. Wilson wasn't fooling anyone early on tonight.

Seattle has outhomered the Orioles 5-2 in this series and 11-4 in the season series, which the Mariners lead 4-1. The O's have a bit of a mountain to climb, down by five. Wilson has now allowed five runs or more in four of his last six starts.

Is the comeback on?: You have to score one to start it right? Adam Jones reached on an infield single in the O's fourth and later scored on a Chris Davis single and the M's lead is 5-1.

The comeback may not be on: The Mariners hit another homer. This one was a three-run shot by Seth Smith off Wilson in the fourth. His third of the series made it 8-1 in the fourth.

Wilson's line: 3-plus innings, 9 hits, 8 runs, 8 earned runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 3 home runs.

The eight runs allowed is a career high, as are the three homers allowed for Wilson.

O's draw closer: I said closer, not close. The Orioles scored on Jones' RBI grounder in the fifth and scored twice in the sixth to trail 9-4. J.J. Hardy had an RBI single and Nolan Reimold an RBI double in the sixth. But Jones popped out with the bases loaded to keep it 9-4.

Davis homers: Seattle hit two more homers, scoring three runs in the sixth for a 12-4 lead, and Davis then homered for the Orioles. His two-run shot was No. 21 and made it 12-6. Over his last seven games, Davis has five homers and 12 RBIs.

The O's five homers allowed tonight ties their season high and Seattle's 12 runs is one off an opponent season high against O's pitching.

Finally, a final: The Orioles lose tonight 12-6 to Seattle as the Mariners take the first three games of this series. The O's came here with a seven-game win streak that has dropped back into the rear-view mirror over the last three games.

But Boston also got blown out tonight - 21-2 by the Angels - and the O's American League East lead remains four games. The Orioles are 47-33 and will reach the 81-game midpoint of the season with Sunday's game here. The Orioles fall to 16-20 on the road, 2-3 on this road trip and 1-5 versus Seattle. They have been out-\homered by Seattle 9-3 in this series and 14-5 in the season series.

Seattle (42-39) has won six of eight games and improves to 12-6 versus the AL East. Seth Smith homered for the third straight game and drove in four tonight.

Check back later for postgame quotes from the Orioles clubhouse.