A Losing Rally

The Orioles hitters finally showed up when it mattered most...the ninth inning.

Unfortunately, the pitchers weren't on the same schedule, as the Birds fell to the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Millwood, still searching for his first win of the season, was given a 1-0 lead before allowing three runs in the bottom of the first inning (to be fair, it was a blown call, and later Adam Jones' poor read on a fly ball that allowed the runs to score, but the line reads differently).

Millwood, as he has done all season, hunkered down, and didn't allow another run to cross the plate while he was on the mound. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits while walking one and striking out eight.

After the run in the first, the O's offense disappeared. The Birds were held to two hits through the first seven innings, before exploding in the ninth...

The Orioles tied the game, taking Millwood off the hook, and went into extras with momentum on their side...

After recording one out in the bottom of the tenth, closer Alfredo Simon left the game after straining his hamstring on a play at first base, and relief pitcher Cla Meredith warmed-up...

Meredith faced just one batter, throwing just four pitches.

The final pitch cleared the fence in left-center field, and the Birds were forced out of D.C. losers of two straight.

The O's lost four of five on the road trip, and return home to Camden Yards on yet another losing streak and with the worst record (14-31) in all of baseball...Jeremy Guthrie is slated to start against Dallas "Mr. Perfect" Braden on Tuesday night.