The dropped popup and Bergy quotes

Any Orioles' mistake seems to be costly these days. In the first inning Wednesday, Tampa's Carl Crawford, batting second with one out, hit a popup on the infield. It was right near Cesar Izturis at short. But he never saw the ball. Miguel Tejada, playing third base, thought he heard Izturis calling to make the play. Tejada came over at the last moment and the ball popped out of his glove for an error. Of course, a few batters later Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer and all three runs were unearned due to the popup that was not caught. "I never called for it," Izturis said. "That ball was in the sun and I told him I can't see it. He thought I was calling for the ball. "It's tough (when that happens). This is frustrating for everybody. It's part of the game, we have to focus on a new series now." Mike Gonzalez, who was placed on the disabled list today right before the game, was not in the clubhouse after the game to comment on his injury. Brad Bergesen was hit hard today, giving up eight runs, five earned and six extra-base hits in three plus innings. He served up a pair of 400-foot, three-run homers. "I left a pitch over the plate for Pena to hit the home run. Something has just felt a little off these last two outings. I'm not worried about it. I'm just going to continue to work hard and never quit." Bergesen, who has an ERA of 11.74 after two starts, agreed with Dave Trembley's take that he just wasn't getting good sink on his sinking fastball. "The movement on my two seamer is not as sharp as it was last year. That's the biggest thing, that's my pitch and bread and butter. That's the one thing I need to get going. Kranny feels it's the arm angle." Bergesen has allowed 15 hits in just 7 2/3 through two starts. "I told Kranny, something just feels a hair off right now. He has a pretty good feel that it's something with the arm angle and we'll make the adjustment." Bergesen said he was not unnerved by the first-inning Tejada error. "No, I'm never going to sit there and dwell on that play. That sort of thing happens. It's early and we are not off to a great start. So much can change and I feel like it will."



Opponents 8, Orioles 1
Brian Schneider remembers Nats days
 

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