Bauer struggles as Indians lose to O’s

Associated Press

BALTIMORE

After watching Trevor Bauer struggle through another outing, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona wondered what happened to the pitcher who went unbeaten from late May through early July.

Bauer gave up five runs before being yanked in the fifth inning Friday night in a 5-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

It was the first time this season that Bauer (7-4) surrendered two homers in a game, and the third straight start in which he allowed at least four runs.

“He just didn’t seem to have a lot of life. Even in his body,” Francona said. “It seems like it’s been away for a couple starts now. He has to fight through that.”

Bauer is 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA in his last three starts. In this one, Mark Trumbo hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Manny Machado made it 5-0 with a solo shot in the third.

“I’ve got to do a better job,” Bauer acknowledged. “I’ve got to give the team a better chance to win.”

Dylan Bundy (3-2) allowed five hits and an unearned run in five innings to earn his first career win as a starter. Drafted fourth overall in the 2011, Bundy worked in the bullpen this season before giving up three homers over 31/3 innings Sunday at Tampa Bay in his starting debut.

In the encore, the right-hander struck out five and walked none. Cleveland’s lone run came in the fifth, when Abraham Almonte doubled, took third on a passed ball and scored on a double-play grounder.

“We’ve seen him in the bullpen where he’s kind of just trying to throw hard, but he pitched tonight,” Francona said of Bundy. “He started to use his secondary pitches and had a really good changeup.”

Odrisamer Despaigne followed Bundy with 32/3 innings of three-hit ball before Zach Britton got the final out for his 31st save.

Playing at Camden Yards for the first time since the All-Star break, the Orioles improved their home record to 34-14, best in the majors.

“It was awesome to come home and sleep in your own bed and finally just come into your own clubhouse,” Machado said. “It was a good day for us.”

The game had a scary moment in the seventh inning when Despaigne threw a fastball that struck Juan Uribe in the batting helmet around the left ear. Uribe stood bent over near the plate for several minutes before leaving. The team later announced that Uribe had a head contusion.

“It looked and sounded bad,” Francona said.

Said Uribe: “They had the doctor check it out. I’m OK.”