Dennis Sarfate created a hole Monday evening -- one too large for even the Orioles offense to fill.
Sarfate, the converted reliever making his third major league start, allowed seven runs (six earned) on five hits and five walks. The right-hander lasted just four innings and departed with the Orioles in a 7-3 deficit. "The tone of the game was set in the bottom of the first," manager Dave Trembley said. "Give the lineup credit to battle back. We didn't pitch well enough, right from the get-go. Walks, hit batters. We didn't have shutdown innings late in the game.
Sarfate is 0-1 with an 11.45 ERA in 11 innings spread across three starts. Before moving to the rotation, he was 4-1 with a 3.78 ERA. His season ERA is 5.16.
As Trembley said, Sarfate wasn't the only one to struggle on the mound. The Orioles scored five runs in the seventh inning, but the bullpen allowed back-to-back three-run innings in the seventh and eighth.
INDIANS 13, ORIOLES 8: The Orioles had nine hits and eight runs, but the pitching staff issued 13 hits and six walks to squander another decent offensive outburst. The Indians had seven extra-base hits, including four home runs.
