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Wright takes wrong turn in his shortest outing

TORONTO -- When Mike Wright left the mound and walked into the visiting dugout at Rogers Centre on Friday night, television cameras from the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network caught the rookie angrily pounding his right fist against the bench. His frustration was warranted.

The 25-year-old Wright turned in the shortest start of his young career, recording just four outs and allowing four earned runs in 1 1/3 innings to pave the way for Baltimore's 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays in the series opener.

"It was tough. I feel like my last three outings have been a battle," said Wright, who issued four walks. "I really don't know what's going on, but I don't walk this many people. I've got to figure some stuff out to give my team a chance."

Video: BAL@TOR: Wright strikes out Donaldson in the 1st

Things got started with a two-out hit-by-pitch to Jose Bautista -- which saw both benches warned -- that opened the door for a pair of RBI doubles. Wright issued three walks and got just one out in the second before his night ended.

"It happened really quickly, and I know there's been [history], but when you get warned that quick -- obviously I wasn't trying to hit Bautista," Wright said. "He's really comfortable in the box and he's really close to the plate. He likes to hit away pitches so you pitch him in. I pitched him in. I accidentally hit him. We got warned and it's kind of tough to go in on another guy because obviously if you hit somebody, then you're gone out of the game. It's was kind of tough, but neither side of the plate today I was commanding very well."

Wright threw just 22 of 48 pitches for strikes and has now lost his last three starts. He is 2-3 with a 5.16 ERA and, after throwing 14 1/3 scoreless innings to start his career, Wright has allowed 17 earned runs over his last 15 1/3 innings.

"He never really settled in. That's not Mike," manager Buck Showalter said of the quick hook. "At a point, I just didn't think he was really going to get settled in."

Wright said he wouldn't lump his last three games in together and Friday's short start was one he would try to forget completely.

"I don't like not going deep into the game, especially when it's because I'm not throwing strikes," he said. "For me not to even give my team a chance by walking guys, it's not my game and definitely something I'm not very happy about."

Brittany Ghiroli is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Britt's Bird Watch, follow her on Facebook and Twitter @britt_ghiroli, and listen to her podcast.
Read More: Baltimore Orioles, Mike Wright