masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgTheir starter struggled and failed to survive the fourth inning. They didn’t have much success with runners in scoring position. They lost a pop-up in the sun that cost them a run and they got swept for the first time this year.

It wasn’t the best day for the Orioles, who lost 8-4 to San Diego in front of 32,418 fans at Camden Yards.

Less than 24 hours after the Padres rallied in the ninth to win last night, they got O’s starter Freddy Garcia, who was a Padre in spring training until they…Their starter struggled and failed to survive the fourth inning. They didn’t have much success with runners in scoring position. They lost a pop-up in the sun that cost them a run and they got swept for the first time this year.

It wasn’t the best day for the Orioles, who lost 8-4 to San Diego in front of 32,418 fans at Camden Yards.

Less than 24 hours after the Padres rallied in the ninth to win last night, they got O’s starter Freddy Garcia, who was a Padre in spring training until they released him March 24.

Garcia gave up seven hits and four runs over 3 2/3 innings, throwing 75 pitches, 44 for strikes. Since giving up two runs in his first O’s start, Garcia has allowed 12 hits and eight runs over 9 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

He falls to 0-2 with an ERA of 5.51 through three Orioles starts. O’s pitchers allowed a season high 17 hits today.

Manny Machado’s bat stayed hot in the loss. He went 4-for-5 with three doubles. It was Machado’s fourth game of three hits or more in the last five contests. He is 14-for-25 over that stretch, beginning with the start of the series last weekend in Minnesota, and is now batting .343.

Machado began the day tied for third in the American League with 14 doubles. He has 11 doubles over his last 18 games and 15 in his last 28 contests.

J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters hit solo homers off San Diego starter and winner Jason Marquis. It was Hardy’s seventh and the sixth for Wieters. Adam Jones added an RBI single in the seventh. The Orioles were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position today until that single.

Hardy is batting .333 (14-for-42) with four homers and eight RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak that ties Machado for longest this year by an Oriole.

The Orioles had won seven of their last eight series until dropping this one and were 12-3 following a loss coming into this game. They fall to 23-17 and, after Thursday’s off day, host Tampa Bay for a weekend series beginning Friday night.