Braves Waste Great Outing From Randall Delgado In 2-0 Loss

After using the bullpen for five and a third innings yesterday due to Brandon Beachy's injury, Atlanta badly needed good start on the mound Sunday.

The Braves got that and more from Randall Delgado, but a disappearing act from the offense wasted a great performance from the right-hander.

Delgado allowed only two runs and three hits in eight innings of work while striking out six and walking just one. However, Atlanta hit into three double plays and couldn't plate a run against Wei-Yin Chen and company.

The Orioles got things going in the second, as Adam Jones started the frame with a ground-rule double to right field. He advanced to third on a fly ball from Wilson Betemit, and came in to score on a Mark Reynolds sacrifice fly. That gave Baltimore an early 1-0 lead.

Things stayed that way until the sixth inning. Steve Pearce led off with a double to left field that really should have been an error on Matt Diaz. Chen followed with a sacrifice bunt that moved Pearce to third, and he scored on an obvious balk from Delgado to make it a 2-0 game.

The Braves had a runner on in every inning but the fourth and ninth, but couldn't come up with the hits they needed to bring in a couple of runs. Baltimore pitchers held Atlanta scoreless for the final 20 innings of the series.

Besides Delgado, the other bright spot of the day was Andrelton Simmons' fantastic diving stop and throw of an Adam Jones grounder in the fourth. He's one of those guys that you'd pay to watch play defense.

Eric O'Flaherty faced the last batter in the ninth, his first outing in nine days due to elbow soreness.

This is the first time Atlanta has been shutout in back-to-back games since June 5-6, 2009 against Milwaukee.