McGuire folds in 4th as Halos fall to O's in finale

BALTIMORE -- After pitching six times in relief this year, injuries forced Deck McGuire to become his new club's 12th starter of the season on Sunday. In the end, he only lasted as long as some of his bullpen outings.
McGuire couldn't escape a six-run fourth inning after allowing homers to Mark Trumbo and Manny Machado, and the Halos dropped the series finale at Camden Yards, 8-2, to the Orioles.
"I made a couple not-good pitches," said McGuire (0-1), who also made two starts late last season for the Reds. "I felt like I worked ahead really well. [Catcher Jose] Briceno did a fantastic job calling the game, and [I] just left a couple pitches up and they made me pay for it."

Trumbo and Trey Mancini added solo shots in the fifth off reliever Eduardo Paredes to help the Orioles to just their second home win in their last 19 games. In the process, they prevented the Angels from securing their third road sweep of the season.
Kole Calhoun scored both Los Angeles runs, connecting for a solo shot off Orioles starter Kevin Gausman (4-6) in the eighth after doubling and scoring on Albert Pujols' single in the first.
Gausman completed the eighth, going at least that deep for a third time this season. He allowed six hits and walked none.
"He just kept us off balance," said Justin Upton, who finished 1-for-3. "He's got a good fastball, so when he had an opportunity to throw his fastball, he did. Kept the ball moving in and out. We couldn't get barrels on it."

The 29-year-old McGuire, acquired from the Rangers' organization on June 19 after beginning the season with the Blue Jays, began the day by retiring nine of the first 11 batters he faced.
He would finish it allowing five runs on five hits and two walks, departing down, 3-1, with two aboard and one out in the fourth. He had worked at least as long in two of his previous relief outings this season.
"That first go-round, he looked really sharp in his first three innings, and then the next time around, he didn't quite get the ball in the location that he would've liked," said manager Mike Scioscia.
Steve Wilkerson greeted reliever Hansel Robles with his first career double to make it 4-1 Baltimore, and Tim Beckham singled in two runs two batters later.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
McGuire pitched into some bad luck to open the fourth when Adam Jones poked what appeared to be a routine popout toward second baseman Ian Kinsler. But Kinsler lost the ball in the sun as he looked skyward, and it fell between him and first baseman Kaleb Cowart. Jones scored on Machado's blast.
"It's no different than a single to the outfield," McGuire said. "You've just got to go back to competing, and I felt like I pitched Machado tough that next at-bat. I just threw a not-great slider, and he put a good swing on it."
SOUND SMART
Taylor Cole worked the final three innings to make his Angels debut in his second career big league outing. In the process, he became the 28th pitcher to appear for the Halos this season.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Andrelton Simmons saw his hit streak snapped at eight games, but he robbed his shortstop counterpart Machado of another hit in the fifth inning. After scrambling to his right to field Machado's grounder, Simmons jumped and threw across his body to nab the Orioles' slugger by a step.

UP NEXT
The Angels close a 10-game, four-city road trip with a three-game series beginning Tuesday in Seattle. The Halos will start left-hander Andrew Heaney (4-5, 3.95 ERA) as they aim to gain ground on the Mariners in their final 2018 trip to Safeco Field after they were swept there in June. Heaney will duel left-hander Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 3.38) in the 7:10 p.m. PT start. LeBlanc pitched five innings of two-run ball in a win over the Angels on June 11.