Wrapping up the disappointing loss in the series finale in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, Calif. - When this road trip started on Monday night, the Orioles got an uplifting win. Manny Machado hit a grand slam in the seventh, Dylan Bundy fanned 10 and the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2.

But not a lot went right after that.

The O's bats were shut down by former Oriole Parker Bridwell last night, and today the Orioles were held to four hits in a 5-1 loss. That is three runs and 12 hits the last two days as they lose the first series on the three-city West Coast road trip.

The middle of the order is struggling again. Chris Davis is 2-for-25 over his last seven games. Mark Trumbo returned from the disabled list today and went 0-for-3. He is hitless his last 22 at-bats dating to before he went on the DL.

Add to that the fact that outfielder Joey Rickard left today's game when he was hit on the helmet by a pitch in the sixth inning. Outfielder Seth Smith didn't start due to a hamstring issue although manager Buck Showalter said he didn't feel it would be a DL situation.

"I think we've done a lot better with those things (a blow to the head) and not taking any chances," Showalter said of Rickard. "We think he's O.K. There'll be an evaluation tomorrow, kind of have an idea of what you're dealing with, but all indications are good right now.

"Just sore (for Smith). It is nothing DL-able. He probably could have played today. But with that quick turnaround and some of the symptoms he was showing, just wanted to be on the safe side. Not have it turn into something else," he added.

As for the offense, there just wasn't much today. Welington Castillo hit a solo homer in the third and the Orioles took a 1-0 lead on his 12th home run. Then they didn't score again and didn't even have one at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

With the offense struggling, perhaps that is why third base coach Bobby Dickerson tried to send Craig Gentry home from first base on Jonathan Schoop's two-out single in the sixth. He was running for Rickard after the hit by pitch and running on the pitch. But he was out easily at the plate, 8-6-2. Showalter was asked if Dickerson's send there could be tied to the struggles of the next two hitters - Davis and Trumbo?

"Probably. It is pretty obvious that we're searching for runs there. You got an opportunity there so you take a pop at it. That probably figures into his thinking," Showalter said. Bobby's as good as there is. You know with Trumbo, he is just coming back, there is some unknown there. Hopefully he and Chris get it going pretty soon."

Rookie right-hander Troy Scribner, making his second MLB start, held the Orioles to two hits over five-plus innings. Three bullpen pitchers followed with four scoreless. The Orioles are 56-58 and fall back again after reaching the .500 mark with Monday's win. They are 21-35 in road games.

Schoop had one of the four hits and talked about the disappointing last two games of this series.

"Those are the bounces, because you want to go out there and you want to win," he said. "But we felt like today we didn't hit much, but you have to give [the other team] credit sometimes too. Their pitcher threw good, but we're going to forget about today and go to Oakland with the mindset that we're going to win there and play the best that we can. Just let it go and learn from it and go tomorrow harder."

O's right-hander Kevin Gausman began today having allowing just two runs over 27 2/3 his last four starts. He took the the loss and gave up four runs and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. O's starters had pitched to a 2.24 ERA the previous 11 games.

"Today was the day," Gausman said. "We needed to win this game, to win this series. Would feel a lot better going to Oakland knowing that we won the series. Didn't do a very good job of finishing hitters. Felt like I was getting to two strikes a lot but left some pitches up. They didn't necessarily hit them hard, but to the right spot. Wasn't as crisp early on as I have been in my last couple starts, but felt like I was getting better as the game went on."

Shortstop Tim Beckham went 2-for-3, producing his sixth multi-hit game in nine contests as an Oriole and improving his batting average to .514 (18-for-35). Now it is on to Oakland for a four-game series that begins Thursday night.