masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles are already trailing the Red Sox, 7-0, with two outs in the first inning and Zach Britton is out of the game.

Only the circumstances seem to change.

Tonight, it was a sharp ground ball that eluded shortstop J.J. Hardy and opened to door for the outburst, and a mental cramp from second baseman Robert Andino that expanded the lead and again turned bad into embarrassment.

It didn’t take nearly as long tonight.

Hardy had a chance to start a double play after back-to-back one-out…The Orioles are already trailing the Red Sox, 7-0, with two outs in the first inning and Zach Britton is out of the game.

Only the circumstances seem to change.

Tonight, it was a sharp ground ball that eluded shortstop J.J. Hardy and opened to door for the outburst, and a mental cramp from second baseman Robert Andino that expanded the lead and again turned bad into embarrassment.

It didn’t take nearly as long tonight.

Hardy had a chance to start a double play after back-to-back one-out singles, but he couldn’t corral Kevin Youkilis’ grounder. Youkilis was credited with a run-scoring single, and David Ortiz followed with a long three-run homer.

Once again, an Orioles starter couldn’t minimize the damage.

Believe it or not, it got worse.

Britton walked Jason Varitek, Marco Scutaro singled on a ball that second baseman Robert Andino couldn’t backhand cleanly, and former Oriole Darnell McDonald doubled on a ball that Felix Pie appeared to misjudge in left field before making a futile diving attempt.

Believe it or not, it got worse.

Andino took the throw at second as McDonald pulled into the bag and completely ignored Scutaro, applying a light tag with his back to home plate as Scutaro motored home and catcher Matt Wieters frantically waved his arms.

McDonald scored with two outs on Jacoby Ellsbury’s single into left field, and Brad Bergesen emerged from the bullpen.

Manager Buck Showalter is gritting his teeth so hard, his gums are going to slap together.

Britton threw 42 pitches, 22 for strikes, in the shortest outing of his major league career.

Bergesen induced a ground ball from Dustin Pedroia, but Hardy booted it for his second error of the season.

Believe it or not…

The Orioles have one error this inning. It could have been three.

Going back to last night, Nick Markakis originally was given an error after bobbling a ball in right field, but the official scorer removed it. The ball apparently took a bad hop. It’s just a hit.

That explains why you can’t find the error in any box score.

Instant update: Adrian Gonzalez singled, and it’s 8-0 in the first.

Update II: Bergesen, the human magnet, got knocked out of the game in the fourth by a David Ortiz line drive that nailed him in the right forearm. Chris Jakubauskas replaced him, and the bullpen is further weakened.

Can the Orioles avoid making a roster move tomorrow with Alfredo Simon scheduled to start?

Bergesen allowed two hits and struck out three in three scoreless innings. He was making a strong argument for returning to the rotation.

Believe it or not, it got worse.