Coming off of a series win against the Detroit Tigers, the Orioles were getting ready to face one of their more tougher challenges this season: the Seattle Mariners. Yes, you heard that correctly.

The first place Seattle Mariners came into Baltimore for the first time this season but were facing troubles of their own after being swept by their division rivals, the Angels, at home over the weekend prior to their visit to Baltimore.

Game One: Mariners: 10, Orioles: 0

In an all around ugly game for the Orioles, Ubaldo Jimenez struggled from the start and outmatched by the very potent Seattle offense. Jimenez only went 4 1/3 innings allowing six runs on five hits while striking out four but also walking four.

He was relieved, if you want to call it that, by Brian Matusz in the fifth inning. The first batter Matusz faced was the Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager who hit a three run home run to make it a 7-0 game at the time.

Matusz would allow three more runs to score off of a Robinson Cano RBI double and a Nelson Cruz two run home run, both of those coming in the top of the sixth inning. Matusz was taken out and Vance Worley came in, who pitched well once again in mop up duty throwing three scoreless innings and only allowing two hits while picking up two strikeouts.

It is safe to say that this game is one that many Orioles fans will want to forget as fast as possible.

Game Two: Orioles: 5, Mariners: 2

Following the shelling the Mariners gave the Orioles the night before, it was the Orioles who returned the favor on Wednesday night. In the bottom of the second inning, Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters hit back to back home runs, making it 2-0 at the time.

The Mariners would eventually tie up the game following a Leonys Martin home run in the top of the third and a Chris Ianetta sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth.

Lucky enough for the Orioles, they answered right back in the bottom of the fourth with a Matt Wieters RBI double that scored Mark Trumbo. The Orioles would tack on runs in the bottom of the fifth with a wild pitch by Taijuan Walker and a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Schoop in the bottom of the eighth.

As for the pitching, Chris Tillman once again dominated the Mariners. Tillman went 6 1/3 innings on the night allowing two runs on four hits while striking out six but did walk three batters. He was relieved by Brad Brach and Zach Britton, who had a five out save by getting two outs in the eighth inning and then working the full ninth inning.

Game Three: Mariners: 7, Orioles: 2

For as big as that score difference is, it was a fairly close game for about 2/3 of the game.

Tyler Wilson took to the mound for the Orioles and in the first inning allowed Nelson Cruz to get an RBI single, continuing his dominance of the O’s, to make it a 1-0 game early on.

In the bottom of the second, Pedro Alvarez tied the game with a RBI double that would score Jonathan Schoop.

Things quieted down until the Mariners scored four runs between the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Seth Smith singled and scored Ketel Marte but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double. The big blow, however, came in the sixth when Adam Lind hit a three run home run to make it a 5-1 game at the time.

The Orioles would try and claw back in the bottom of the eighth with an Adam Jones RBI ground out that would score Ryan Flaherty but despite getting the bases loaded with one out, the O’s were only able to push one run across.

As for the pitching on the day, Tyler Wilson pitched okay until the home run he allowed to Lind. Wilson went six innings allowing five runs on six hits while striking out three and also walking three. He was relieved by Dylan Bundy who allowed two runs of his own but was able to save the bullpen for the upcoming road trip.

This was the first home series the Orioles had lost in the young season and it is impressive that it took until May for it to happen, but it was inevitable. I would rather only take one of three from a good Mariners team than get swept by a bad Yankees team any day of the week.

The Orioles now head out on a nine game road trip, starting in Anaheim against the Angels on Friday night. Mike Wright is scheduled to go against Hector Santiago with no other starters announced yet for the Orioles. Matt Shoemaker is set to go Saturday for the Angels with Jered Weaver going Sunday.

Following the series in Anaheim, the Orioles will head to Houston and Cleveland for their only trips to both of those stadiums for the season.