BALTIMORE — The Orioles’ weekend series against the Oakland Athletics served as a barometer for a club that has had its share of ups and downs during the season.
But Baltimore unraveled in more ways than one in its sobering 11-1 thumping Sunday by an Athetics team with the best record in the American League.
Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez was chased from the game with one out in the third inning after allowing a grand slam to Oakland left fielder Brandon Moss. It was Jimenez’s shortest outing in his 13 starts with the Orioles.
Jimenez issued five walks, tying a season-high, and three of those base runners scored.
The Orioles (31-30) issued a season-high 11 walks in the game, the most they’ve allowed in nearly six years, since an 8-5 win against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 20, 2008.
Long after the game was in hand, third baseman Manny Machado took exception to a pair of close pitches from left-hander Fernando Abad. He let go of his bat after swinging through the second pitch, and it landed near third base, prompting both dugouts and bullpens to clear.
No punches were thrown, but both Machado and Abad were ejected from the game.
It was the second time this series that Machado has been involved in a confrontation. He went face to face with Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson during Friday’s game after Donaldson tagged Machado while he was running to third base.
After Abad’s first pitch went inside on Machado, the third baseman stared down the relief pitcher. On the next pitch, Machado swung late on a ball low and inside and his bat flung toward third baseman Alberto Callaspo.
Catcher Stephen Vogt and Machado then exchanged words as the dugouts and bullpens emptied.
Earlier in the game, Jimenez opened the third inning by issuing three consecutive walks to the seventh, eighth and ninth hitters in the Athletics lineup.
Jaso then took a 1-2 pitch from Jimenez to center field that ricocheted off an object near the fence and back into the field of play. The ball initially was ruled a grand slam, giving the Athletics a 4-0 lead.
After a review initiated by crew chief Angel Hernandez, the call was reversed, two runs were taken off the scoreboard, Jaso was given a double and runner Kyle Blanks was placed at third.
Jimenez’s control problems continued as he walked Nick Punto to load the bases again. Donaldson grounded to third, where Machado prevented another run by throwing home to get the force out.
But Moss crushed a first-pitch splitter well over the center-field fence for a grand slam, his 16th home run of the season.
Jimenez left the game to some boos, having allowed a season-high six runs and two hits.
