masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgAfter Zach Britton had pitched so well in Game 1, Jake Arrieta was hoping to build on that in Game 2 tonight.

It started well for him as he retired the first six Rangers he faced over two innings. But he gave up six runs in the third and was knocked out in the fourth as Texas routed the O’s, 13-1 in Game 2 of a doubleheader.

Manager Buck Showalter questioned what he called certain sequencing of pitches Arrieta threw and the pitcher agreed with that in the O’s clubhouse.

“I think I fell…After Zach Britton had pitched so well in Game 1, Jake Arrieta was hoping to build on that in Game 2 tonight.

It started well for him as he retired the first six Rangers he faced over two innings. But he gave up six runs in the third and was knocked out in the fourth as Texas routed the O’s, 13-1 in Game 2 of a doubleheader.

Manager Buck Showalter questioned what he called certain sequencing of pitches Arrieta threw and the pitcher agreed with that in the O’s clubhouse.

“I think I fell into the rhythm of fastball, breaking ball, fastball, breaking ball. I think they might have picked that up, I’m not sure,” he said. “When I came in after the third inning, I said maybe establish fastball, fastball and not fall into patterns like that. There were a couple of pitches I elevated that they didn’t miss and that’s what good hitters are going to do sometimes.”

Arrieta gave up eight runs, all earned and six hits over 3 1/3 innings, throwing 77 pitches. His eight runs allowed are a career high.

“Outings like this are tough, but you have to learn from it,” Arrieta said. “I don’t regret anything. I threw everything with conviction like I always do. In the third I was one pitch away. I need to avoid big innings.”

He started out matching Britton’s effort early on, but soon Texas got to him as Arrieta fell to 1-1 with an ERA of 8.68.

“It’s a little disappointing. I started really well but it kind of got away from me. I’ll be all right. That’s a great lineup. When I did miss, they didn’t. That’s what good hitters are going to do.

“Just have to put emphasis on location and command in certain situations where you don’t want to get beat and I wasn’t able to do that in certain spots,” he said.