masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgKANSAS CITY – It’s not getting any better.
The Orioles have lost six consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 19-24, 2013. They’re under .500 for the first time since July 26. They can’t find consistency in their rotation or runs in their lineup.
Tonight’s 3-2 loss to the Royals marked the sixth consecutive game where the Orioles have tallied three runs or fewer. It’s happened in seven of their last eight games.
The top four batters were 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts. Gerardo…

KANSAS CITY – It’s not getting any better.

The Orioles have lost six consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 19-24, 2013. They’re under .500 for the first time since July 26. They can’t find consistency in their rotation or runs in their lineup.

Tonight’s 3-2 loss to the Royals marked the sixth consecutive game where the Orioles have tallied three runs or fewer. It’s happened in seven of their last eight games.

The top four batters were 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts. Gerardo Parra doubled in the seventh. Chris Davis is in an 0-for-16 slump that includes nine strikeouts.

The clubhouse was especially quiet, with only a few position players visible to the media. A group of relievers dressed on one side.

Caleb Joseph walked over to his locker and was surrounded by reporters a few seconds later.

“We’ve got to get big hits, especially off their guys. We’ve got to get after it early on,” Joseph said.

“We know their bullpen is really good. We’ve got to barrel up balls and take opportunities when they’re there. Starting pitching, we’ve got to try to go deep into games and give us a chance to win.

“Our bullpen was pretty good tonight. Tough stretch. We’ve just got to grind it out and try to come back tomorrow. That’s the only thing we can control. Get a good tempo and try to get after it.”

Miguel-Gonzalez-ALCS-gray.jpgMiguel Gonzalez hasn’t gone more than 5 1/3 innings in 10 of his last 13 starts, and nine of 12 since coming off the disabled list. He was gone tonight after 4 1/3 innings and has registered a 5.95 ERA in eight second-half starts.

“It’s tough, it’s tough,” he said. “We understand that this team has been playing really well. There’s a reason why they’re in first place.

“I’ve just been a little off. I need to keep working on that with Dave (Wallace) and Dom (Chiti). They’ve been doing a really good job keeping me to stay focused and not worry about things and not think too much out there. I think that’s been the struggle. Obviously, it hasn’t been the way we want to, but we’ve just got to keep working hard.”

Gonzalez issued two walks that burned him in a two-run third inning.

“I think walking guys is definitely going to hurt you, no matter in what situation you are,” he said. “You minimize those walks and maybe things will change. I think that’s the only thing I’ve got to keep working on and not worry about it too much come next time, and hopefully we can do a better job.”

Gonzalez was on the disabled list with a strained groin. He said that he’s healthy now, but unable to get the desired results.

“I hope so, yeah. Everything is fine,” he said.

“It’s been rough ever since I came back from the disabled list, but sometimes the game’s not fair and it’s a game of failure. You’ve just got to stay focused and not think too much when you’re out there. I think that’s been the main point for me this year, in the second half.”

Here’s more from the Orioles following their latest loss:

Joseph on Gonzalez:
“It’s a different team. They have high chase totals, but low strikeouts. He gave us a chance to win tonight. Confidence is a big thing in this game, and when you have confidence, you seem to get through games well. When you’re kind of teetering with confidence a little bit, it’s hard to grind through. He did a good job tonight, gave us a chance to win. We just couldn’t get a rally going against their guys.”

Joseph on being one hit away from breaking through:
“Yeah, and we’ve got to create more. We can’t hang on the one time we get runners in scoring position. We’ve got to create more opportunities, and when we put multiple guys on base multiple innings in a row, you give yourself more room for error there. It’s tough when you get runners on base one or two times in an inning every game that guy up there is creating sawdust in the batter’s box trying to get the guy in. It’s not for a lack of effort. Everybody in this clubhouse is working their tails off trying to make a push here. Come out and get after it tomorrow.”

Joseph on whether Gonzalez’s confidence is shaken:
“Sure, a little bit, but I think he has a lot to build on today. There were a couple of times where it could have broke out and he did a good job of winding it back in. Those are the little things that get guys on track, and he came out and he kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win. If a couple balls fall here and there, we’re talking about how this is a really good outing. He’s had a couple outings here where he’s been able to build off of three or four innings, so it’s just a matter of completing that whole process and being able to get six with zero runs on the board.”

Manager Buck Showalter on the offense:
“We’ve got to figure out a way to score more runs. There’s a reason they are where they are. They don’t give up many. They’re taking people out of the rotation that would be in a lot of people’s, so it kind of gives you an idea of one of the reasons why they’re good. We beat the good ones before, and we’ll have another challenge in the next couple of days.”

Showalter on the one-run games and being one hit away:
“We do some things to put people out there, but what did we have, seven hits tonight? Obviously, statistically you don’t like your chances a whole lot after the sixth, but they’re so deep that they’re giving (Greg) Holland a few days off and they’ve got plenty of people who can pitch those innings. We’ve just got to do a better job with the bats. We’ve been real inconsistent.”

Showalter on how to end the losing streak:
“It’s takes a little bit of everything. Everybody wants to throw one big circle around one game. It’s a lot of things, a lot of things. You can’t rob from Peter to pay Paul if this game. You’ve got to do it all.”

Showalter on whether guys are trying too hard:
“That’s every night, too, you know? And they are.”

Showalter on whether Adam Jones’ three-pitch strikeout in the seventh is an example:
“What happens, too, is you get out of the strike zone. There’s two parts to it. It’s getting a pitch you can do something with and putting a good swing on it. Everybody’s trying to be the guy. That’s not always easy to do.”

Showalter on Gonzalez:
“He’s gotten through some periods before where he’s gotten back into sync, but his command is the thing. He’s not a guy that’s going to overpower you, but he’s a guy when he’s got command, he can make it look (easy), as you’ve seen, and we’ve seen, but his command of the fastball … There were four or five of them. With (Kendry) Morales, he was trying to go in and he threw it down the middle. Good hitters are going to make you pay for those. Command of the fastball is where it starts with every pitcher.”

Showalter on whether Gonzalez is healthy:
“Yeah, as far as I know. He’s a guy that’s pretty honest with us, but everybody’s got something that … But nothing that would keep him from pitching well. His innings are managed well. He’s fine.”