One Bad Inning Does Britton In

The O's bats were nowhere to be found for the second straight game, as the Birds fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Friday night at Camden Yards.

Zach Britton failed to make it through six innings for the first time this season, and was charged with the loss despite a strong performance. Britton (5-2) labored through a 30-pitch second inning in which he allowed three runs to cross the plate. The four hits in the second inning were the only ones the Rays managed against Britton, but it was more than enough considering the state of the O's offense lately...

The Orioles didn't get on the board until Derrek Lee's solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Until that blow, the Birds had managed just one hit (a Vladimir Guerrero double in the fourth) against the Ray's James Shields. Vlad doubled again in the bottom of the ninth and came home on Luke Scott's double, but that was all the scoring the O's managed in the game...

The bats are cold (the Birds have scored two runs or less in 9 of their 17 losses this season) and the bullpen continues to struggle...Jeremy Accardo allowed a run to cross the plate in the eighth and Koji Uehara served-up a two-run tater in the ninth to put the game out of reach.

Jeremy Guthrie takes the mound on Saturday afternoon...Guthrie is no stranger to a lack of offense, as he brings a 1-4 record into the game despite sporting a 3.00 ERA. Here's hoping the offense wakes up and can help get Guthrie that elusive second victory...Let's Go O's!