masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBrad Bergesen had retired nine of 10 batters, the only baserunner coming on an intentional walk, but the first five Rays reached in the fourth inning, and the Orioles are behind, 3-0.

Johnny Damon led off the inning with a double to left. Luke Scott didn’t take the ideal route to the ball. Evan Longoria followed with a bloop single to center, and Damon scored when Adam Jones couldn’t field the ball cleanly. No error charged, but there would have been a play at the plate.

Matt Joyce…Brad Bergesen had retired nine of 10 batters, the only baserunner coming on an intentional walk, but the first five Rays reached in the fourth inning, and the Orioles are behind, 3-0.

Johnny Damon led off the inning with a double to left. Luke Scott didn’t take the ideal route to the ball. Evan Longoria followed with a bloop single to center, and Damon scored when Adam Jones couldn’t field the ball cleanly. No error charged, but there would have been a play at the plate.

Matt Joyce doubled off the fence in left field to further stoke the rally, and B.J. Upton followed with a two-run single to center. Fortunately for the Orioles, Upton was tagged out in a rundown.

Will the Orioles ever take a lead in this series?

Bergesen has allowed three runs and six hits in four innings, with two walks and one strikeout. He’s throw 70 pitches, so the bullpen could be busy again.

The Orioles have drawn a walk in six straight innings, going back to yesterday. They’ve scored twice.

Brian Roberts has walked twice.

Down on the farm, J.J. Hardy has popped up and struck out in two at-bats for Triple-A Norfolk. He’s batting third and serving as the designated hitter against Indianapolis’ Brad Lincoln.

Third baseman Josh Bell committed his seventh error, leading to two unearned runs off Mike Ballard.

Double-A Bowie’s Steve Johnson is shutting out Erie through four innings. He’s allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four, and his ERA is down to 0.45.

One more injury update: Justin Duchscherer is supposed to throw a two-inning simulated game. The Orioles still think he could be ready on May 30 when he’s eligible to come off the disabled list.

Update: Scott doubled to lead off the fourth, Jones was hit by a pitch and Matt Wieters doubled over Sam Fuld’s head in left – which isn’t easy – to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 3-2.

Mark Reynolds walked and Cesar Izturis laid down a sacrifice bunt after manager Buck Showalter came out of the dugout to talk to him. Second and third, one out. But the Orioles were done scoring. Roberts lined to first and Nick Markakis popped to second.

Reynolds has walked in five of nine plate appearances in this series, and four of six.