A Texas-sized O's-whoopin'

After two innings, it looked like a good, old-fashioned slug-fest was playing out at Texas Stadium...

After nine innings, it was all over...unfortunately for the Orioles, it was the Texas Rangers that did most of the slugging in a 13-7 win over the Birds on Thursday night.

The two teams combined for 20 runs off 35 hits...it must have been the humidity...

The Birds allowed season-highs in runs (13) and hits (20), and were swept in the 2-game series.

The Rangers knocked O's starter Brian Matusz out of the game early...Matusz gave up four runs in the first, two in the second and was charged with another run in the third. Overall, in Matusz's shortest stint ever, he allowed seven runs on eight hits over 2 1/3 innings of work. After starting the season 2-0, Matusz now sports a 2-4 record.

The Birds came back in the second inning to cut the deficit to 4-3, courtesy of a 2-run double off the bat of Corey Patterson and an RBI single from Ty Wigginton. It looked like the O's were right back in it...but then Matusz continued to struggle.

Matusz allowed a 3-run bomb in the first and another 2-run blast in the second before heading to the locker room. Texas added yet another 3-run shot in a 5-run eighth inning to end any chances of an Orioles' comeback.

Do the math...three home runs that put eight runs on the board...that's hard to beat.

Every O's starter collected at least one hit in Thursday's game, but weren't able to get the big hit when it counted. The Birds went 4-for-20 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 men on base. They scored just once with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning, and Miguel Tejada popped-out with the bases loaded to end the game in the ninth...

As Dave Trembley says...the timely hitting just wasn't there.

Interleague play begins on Friday, and the O's take on the Washington Nationals in D.C. for a three-game stretch. David Hernandez is scheduled to take the mound Friday evening...