Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) – Brian Roberts hit a two-run double in Baltimore’s four-run seventh inning, and Brian Matusz silenced the Rangers over eight frames en route to a 4-0 whitewashing in the opener of a four-game series at Camden Yards.
Matusz (5-12) had his best outing of the season, yielding just five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The young lefty had lasted at least seven frames only once in his previous 11 starts.
Corey Patterson had two hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who had lost four of five coming in.
Colby Lewis (9-10) was charged with four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings to drop his fifth straight decision over a six-start span, though Texas has scored a total of seven runs in those games.
The Rangers have lost six straight on the road and four in a row overall. It was just the second time the American League West leaders were shut out all season.
Baltimore broke a stalemate with a four-spot in the seventh. Felix Pie, Matt Wieters and Patterson each singled with one out, the latter bringing in the game’s first run with a sharp line drive to center.
After a groundout, Roberts lofted a soft liner to right that Brandon Boggs misplayed into a two-run double, ending Lewis’s outing. Darren Oliver came in and surrendered a run-scoring base hit to Nick Markakis for a 4-0 contest.
Matusz, who threw 82 of his 115 pitches for strikes, retired the side in order in the eighth, and Koji Uehara survived a pair of hits in the ninth to complete the shutout.
The Orioles’ best chance to score early on came in the third when they had the bases loaded with one out, and Lewis struck out Markakis and Ty Wigginton.
Offense was also tough to come by for the Rangers, who ran themselves out of a run-scoring opportunity in the sixth when Andres Blanco tried to stretch a gapper to right into a triple. The relay throw to third was late, but Wigginton blocked the bag for the out. Wigginton and Blanco had a few heated words with one another before cooler heads quickly prevailed.
Game Notes
Rangers third baseman Michael Young returned after missing two straight games with a stiff neck and went 1-for-4…Texas is 12-22 against the American League East this season…Pie and Wieters each had two hits for Baltimore…Vladimir Guerrero had the only multi-hit game for Texas, going 2- for-3 with a walk…The only other time the Rangers were shut out came on May 15 when Ricky Romero blanked them in a 6-0 decision.