Gonzalez leaves with right groin strain

BALTIMORE -- Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez exited Tuesday night's 1-0 win against the Red Sox in the fifth inning with a right groin strain.

Following a groundout to shortstop off the bat of Dustin Pedroia, manager Buck Showalter and head athletic trainer Richie Bancells visited with Gonzalez before the right-hander joined Bancells on the walk back to the dugout. T.J. McFarland entered in relief and threw 1 2/3 innings before Chaz Roe and Zach Britton finished out the game.

Gonzalez said he felt the groin was an issue after getting the last out of the fourth against Mookie Betts, but still went out in the fifth.

"I felt that discomfort there. It just wasn't the way I really wanted to [be]," Gonzalez said. "But we took care of it. We talked about it. And good thing I left before it got any worse."

Gonzalez walked around the clubhouse with a slight limp during postgame interviews, and said it was still sore as he talked with reporters. The right-hander dealt with the same injury in 2012 and missed only one start before hopping back into the rotation.

He said he hopes to make his next start, but the Orioles will wait to make a decision.

"I don't think it's something real long, but we'll have to make a decision between now and [Wednesday]," Showalter said. "We'll talk about it some more after we get done here."

Gonzalez has been one of the O's most consistent pitchers as he carries a 5-4 record and a 3.33 ERA and has gone six or more innings in seven of his 11 starts. He went 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits, two walks and one strikeout on 89 pitches Tuesday.

"It's tough," Gonzalez said. "I understand that things are going to happen in the field, and it's part of the game. Sometimes you don't want it to happen, but when you're competing, things will happen."