In a start when Orioles starter Yovani Gallardo battled deep counts and deeper flyouts to post six innings of two-run ball, he knew exactly where to look when wondering where it all went wrong.
When he took the mound to start the seventh inning, Gallardo issued a four-pitch walk to the Rangers’ No. 9 hitter, catcher Brett Nicholas, who only made his major league debut Monday.
That leadoff walk set off an inning in which the Orioles’ home run-powered lead disintegrated into an 8-4 loss, and prompted plenty of questions about how it went down.