Saturday night, the Orioles did show some resolve, battling back from a 4-0 deficit, created when starter Jason Berken imploded in the fourth inning. The rookie right-hander allowed two hits and no runs through the first three innings. He then surrendered six hits, including homers to Choo and Andy Marte, and four runs while managing to get just two outs in the fourth.
"My first three innings were three of the better innings I've thrown all year," Berken said. "I felt really good. The fourth inning, the ball was up a little bit, the off-speed pitches were hanging, and those were the two pitches they hit out, a curveball and a slider."
The Orioles did take Berken off the hook from his 13th loss as they scored five times in the top of the fifth off Indians starter Jeremy Sowers. Robert Andino started the rally with a solo homer (his second of the season), and Luke Scott ended it by slamming a three-run homer into the second deck in right field to give the Orioles a 5-4 lead. Their advantage grew to two runs on Michael Aubrey's solo shot in the sixth.
But the Orioles' beleaguered bullpen still had 12 more outs to get. After Cla Meredith did his job in a scoreless sixth, Sean Henn fell well short of doing his. He walked the leadoff batter in the seventh, and served up back-to-back doubles to Asdrubal Cabrera and Valbuena to tie the game.
Henn exited without getting an out, and Chris Ray entered and allowed three straight Indians to reach base, including Peralta, who hit a go-ahead RBI double. Marte increased Cleveland's lead to two runs with a sacrifice fly in the four-run seventh.
The Orioles again rallied, this time off Wood. Roberts led off with a single, pinch hitter Jeff Fiorentino fought back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk, and Matt Wieters hit a single to load the bases. Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora then tied the game with back-to-back sacrifice flies.
But the excitement was short-lived, with Johnson retiring only one of the three batters that he faced, and the Indians rushing out of the dugout to celebrate the victory. In eight appearances this month, Johnson has a 13.51 ERA, two blown saves and Saturday night's loss.
"You look at what the team has done," Johnson said. "They came back and put up a big number when they were down early and they easily could have folded the tent in the ninth. Kerry Wood is no slouch. That's the deflating part, battling back not once but twice and getting nothing to show for it."
Box score
for Saturday's game PG 4
ORIOLES @INDIANS
Today, 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN HD
Radio: 105.7 FM
