Offense struggles again as Orioles lose to Cole Hamels, Rangers

For the Orioles, it was another night with not much offense and another loss.

Texas Rangers' left-hander Cole Hamels held the Orioles to just two hits over eight innings as Texas beat the O's 4-1 at Globe Life Park in the opener of a weekend series.

Hamels retired 14 in a row from the last out of the third inning into the eighth inning. He walked four and fanned 10, throwing 111 pitches, 72 for strikes. Hamels improves to 2-1 with an ERA of 3.89 in five starts with Texas. He needed 56 pitches over the first three innings, but then threw just 40 over the next four frames. Shawn Tolleson pitched the ninth to complete a comined three-hitter.

While Texas (66-61) has now won 11 of 15 games, the Orioles lost for the eight time in nine games, and are 2-9 the past 11 games. At 63-65 overall, the Orioles fall two games under the .500 mark for the first time since July 25.

The Orioles have been held to just nine runs in their four losses on this road trip and to just 22 runs in their last 10 losses overall.

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, but they could have done much better in that inning. They loaded the bases with one out on a Paul Janish double and walks to Manny Machado and Steve Pearce. After Adam Jones struck out, Chris Davis drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to force in a run for the 1-0 lead. But Matt Wieters grounded out to leave the bases loaded. In an inning where Hamels walked three, he gave up just one run.

Texas tied it on a Shin-Soo Choo leadoff homer in the fourth off Kevin Gausman. He hit No. 16 on a 3-1 pitch. They went ahead 3-1 in the fifth. Chris Gimenez homered with one out. He hit No. 4 for a 2-1 lead. Later in the fifth, Choo plated a run on a force out. First baseman Davis tried for an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play but the relay throw was late and the third run scored.

Dariel Alvarez made his major league debut and made a big play before he even batted for the first time. He caught a flyout then threw a runner out at the plate from right field to complete a double play in the bottom of the second. Alvarez went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, and the Orioles struck out 12 times tonight after fanning 14 times yesterday.

Gausman went 6 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and four runs with one walk and three strikeouts. He falls to 2-6 with an ERA of 4.39 in 19 games, 11 starts.

In the second game of the series on Saturday night, Ubaldo Jimenez (9-8, 4.26 ERA) faces left-hander Martin Perez (1-3, 5.30 ERA).