Wrapping up a 7-0 loss

BOSTON - How fitting that tonight's game would end with Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts reaching far over the fence and nearly flipping into the bullpen to rob Chris Davis of a two-run homer and record the final out.

At least half of Betts' body disappeared over the fence. The ball stuck in his glove. And the Orioles were stuck with a 7-0 loss that drove another nail into the proverbial coffin.

Every defeat is critical. None can be taken lightly.

Journeyman left-hander Rich Hill registered his first complete game and shutout since 2006 with the Cubs. He hadn't started in the majors since 2009 with the Orioles before the Red Sox signed him in August to a minor league contract.

The Orioles had two hits off Hill - a leadoff single by Nolan Reimold in the first and a leadoff infield single by Dariel Alvarez in the ninth. Reimold also walked and Alvarez also reached on an error.

Hill struck out 10, including Davis twice. Davis has 199 strikeouts to tie his club record set in 2013.

"Just commanded two pitches. Same thing he's been doing his last three outings," said manager Buck Showalter.

"He didn't do anything different. We didn't expect him to change anything. He's changed planes and commanded two pitches. Pretty much what we thought."

Hill, 35, raised his arm slot after getting back into the rotation following his stint with the independent Long Island Ducks.

"He's been doing that because he's not a left-on-left guy anymore," Showalter said. "That's what's been impressive, a left-handed reliever who's really done well his last three outings against right-handed hitters."

Kevin Gausman has one start remaining this season. He didn't record an out in the sixth inning tonight and was charged with five runs. He walked three batters and they all scored.

"The three walks scored on him," Showalter said. "When he's had a challenging night, obviously it gets multiplied by how well their guy's pitching. And we just didn't make any adjustments to him. We talked about exactly what he's going to do and he did it. Hats off to him. But Gaus, the walks, he gets two outs and I don't know if it's a concentration thing or ...

"I think the respect that you have to have for the power and everybody can hurt you in the lineup and you can't let an inning get away from you. He's going to be a good one and he'll learn from it, but I know it's frustrating for him.

"He gets out of his delivery for a few pitches and next thing you know he's painted himself in a corner. He's got 40 pitches almost after two innings and he really takes away some nights where he could go a lot deeper if he could economize some of that stuff. And when he has done it sometimes when he's followed (Dave Wallace's) lead on a couple things, but he gets away from it and just goes into power pitching and that doesn't always work up here."

Showalter had left-hander T.J. McFarland warming in the sixth after a walk and infield hit, but Gausman faced David Ortiz and surrendered a two-run double that gave Boston a 4-0 lead.

"Yeah, I think I let my ego get the best of me, especially to Big Papi," Gausman said. "I tried to throw a fastball by him, and if I pull back a bit, I probably hit my spot. I tried to throw it by him like the pitch before, and like I said, the pitch was too middle and he's a future Hall of Famer. You just can't do that."

You also can't issue leadoff walks, which happened in the fifth and sixth innings. A two-out walk in the third also proved costly.

"Anytime, especially to lead off the inning, you put yourself in a bad situation," Gausman said. "(Sandy) Leon comes up and he's going to do what he does, move the guy over. Got him to third with two outs and I threw a pitch in the dirt and a run scored. That was the biggest thing. This was a big game for us and I just kind of let my team down."

The first two runs off Gausman scored with two outs.

"That's something that I need to figure out," he said. "With two outs, I've been killing myself. Two outs, walking a guy and giving up a hit and then bringing up a good hitter, you put yourself in a bad situation. Especially putting that leadoff hitter on, it's one of those tough things. Definitely frustrated and I'm trying to find the answers and just go forward and try to work harder."

Tonight's outing left Gausman with a 3-7 record and 4.49 ERA in 104 1/3 innings. The Orioles need him to take a giant leap forward in 2016 as a member of their rotation breaking camp.

"It's been a struggle for me," he said. "Going on the DL for the first time is something I never expected, but that's baseball. You have to deal with those things, but its been a roller coaster ride. I've pitched well at times, but when it comes down to it, I haven't been good with runners on base, giving up way too many two-strike hits."

Catcher Caleb Joseph thought Gausman was in control of the game.

"The split, he just didn't finish to (Xander) Bogaerts there to get the first run," Joseph said. "Let's say I block that ball, we're down by one. We get a swinging bunt from Bogaerts to bring up Ortiz and he makes one mistake and it's a four-run game.

"I thought he was in control the whole game. Of course, you like to challenge contact. It's a tight strike zone back there. He's making a lot of good pitches. Maybe next time we'll get some of those pitches and eliminate those walks."

Hill didn't give the Orioles anything, magnifying Gausman's mistakes.

"He has a big, huge curveball and he's got a fastball that comes out of the same slot and he works up and away to righties," Joseph said. "He comes out and one's at 90, and it's just enough deception and just enough ride on it, so you've got to respect it. You don't see many of those hammer curveballs anymore. He's got one.

"I remember catching him a few years ago when he was with us. Really big curveball. When it comes out of the same spot, you're thinking there's no way possible that it's going to be a strike. It just comes down like a bowling ball. Before you know it, it's right in the middle of the plate."

Joseph was asked what Gausman needs to do in order to reach the next level.

"Well, we haven't scored a lot of runs for him," Joseph said. "What does success mean? Does it mean wins? This is a young pitcher still. This guy shot up through the minor leagues really quick. He's got unbelievable stuff. There's a balance between throwing and pitching, and for the most part he pitched tonight. I thought he made a lot of really good pitches and he made just a few mistakes. Sometimes that's what costs you.

"You never know. What if we score two or three runs? You just never know. He hasn't had a lot of run support, too. When he's always pitching behind, sometimes it may feel like I've got to throw a shutout every time. I think tonight for the most part he executed a lot of good pitches. Just a couple of pitches that he didn't finish. He paid for it, but overall I thought his outing was good."

The Orioles came into Boston with momentum acquired from their three-game sweep in D.C. Now it's gone. As they say, momentum is the next day's pitcher.

"Especially what Hill did against us," Gausman said. "He threw everything for strikes and when he didn't want to throw it for a strike he could do that, so he was pretty impressive to watch from the other side. I think he only gave up the leadoff hit and that was it after that.

"C.D. puts a great swing on the ball, but Mookie makes a great play. It's a tough one. Hopefully, we'll bounce back tomorrow, but like I said, this was a big game. I just kind of let my team down."

Said Joseph: "To get two-hit, yeah, that's disappointing. We swung the bats pretty well over there. We had a bunch of clutch hits. We ran into a really good performance. The guy's a veteran. He knows how to pitch.

"Yeah, it's disappointing. We still feel good. If we go in here and win the next two, you never know what could happen. We've just got to keep showing up at the park and winning every game. We can't throw the towel in now just because we lose. There's still a chance. We have to flush this one and come back tomorrow and be ready to play."