Walks Cripple Orioles in 11-1 Blowout

Jun 3, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez (31) pitches in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Global Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Baltimore starter Ubaldo Jimenez turned in what may have been his worst outing as an Oriole this afternoon as the Orioles fell 11-1 to the Oakland Athletics.

Jimenez surrendered six runs on two hits and five walks, including a grand slam in the third inning that ended both Jimenez’s outing and the Orioles’ chances of gaining a Sunday victory prematurely.

Walks plagued the Orioles throughout the game, as the team gave up a season-high 11 base-on-balls by the time the fat lady sang and an increasingly thinning Camden Yards crowd saw the final out.

Reliever Brad Brach picked up where Jimenez left off in the third and gave up five walks of his own on the way to allowing four more runs on two innings pitched.

When Oakland hitters weren’t being walked, the continuously hot Athletics offense was driving in runs. DH John Jaso and 1B Brandon Moss each had four RBI in the game.

One bright spot for the Orioles was reliever T.J. MacFarland, who saved the Orioles bullpen from further damage by pitching 4.2 innings and giving up one run after replacing Brach in the fifth inning.

Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado found himself at the center of a second bench-clearing incident in this series in the eighth inning. In today’s episode, Machado was forced to dance around an inside pitch thrown by Athletics’ reliever Fernando Abad.

On the next inside pitch Abad threw, Machado let go of the bat and catapulted his lumber down the third base line. MASN play-by-play man Gary Throne and several others on the field believed the bat was meant for Abad and Machado and A’s catcher Derek Norris began exchanging words.

Baltimore first base coach Wayne Kirby and manager Buck Showalter charged into the scrum and began separating players before punches were thrown.

Machado and Abad were each ejected after the incident.

After all was said and done, the Orioles fell to 31-30 as the A’s rose to an AL-leading 39-24. Baltimore returns to AL East play tomorrow as they take on the fourth place Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.