BALTIMORE – Quality starting pitching has played a key role in the Rangers' emergence as a playoff contender.

But if they are to remain in the postseason hunt while two key pieces are missing from the lineup, they can't afford to fall behind early in a game – or maybe even trail at all.

Get a good start, and the Rangers get a good result. Get a shaky start, and they're in trouble.

That played out again Sunday at Camden Yards. Baltimore struck for six early runs against left-hander Derek Holland en route to a 7-0 victory that gave the Orioles a series victory and cost the Rangers a game in the playoff race.

The Rangers got only 8 1/3 innings combined from Holland and Kevin Millwood, who allowed 11 runs, in consecutive weekend losses. The offense, meanwhile, is riding a 15-inning scoreless streak entering a three-game series at Cleveland that begins tonight.

Holland lasted only 3 1/3 innings Sunday as the Rangers fell three games behind Boston in the American League wild-card standings and 5 ½ behind Los Angeles in the West.

"I let the team down," the rookie said. "These are big games for us right now. We're trying to contend for the playoffs. We want to win the wild card or the division. It's very disappointing on my part."

Sunday marked his third straight start in which he allowed at least six runs, and his ERA over that stretch is 16.06 (22 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings). His ERA after 30 appearances/18 starts this season is 5.93.

Holland breezed through the first inning but got sloppy with a two-out walk to Jeff Fiorentino in the second. Chad Moeller followed with a two-run double to snap a scoreless tie.

The game didn't get away from Holland and the Rangers until the fourth, when Baltimore scored four times. Nine Orioles batted in an inning that saw Holland get only one out, hit a batter and walk two others.

Home plate umpire Joe West wasn't very giving on the inside corner, yet Holland continued to attack the Orioles on the inner half.

They took those pitches, and then took advantage when Holland fell behind in the count.

"I had good stuff, but I didn't make my pitches at the right time," said Holland, who had six strikeouts. "I wasn't getting ahead of people, and they were able to get some key hits."

Holland insisted he isn't fatigued in his first big league season. He has pitched 115 1/3 innings a year after logging 150 2/3 at three minor league levels. While a lack of command, often a sign of fatigue, was an issue in allowing 10 runs in three innings to Toronto last week, it wasn't Sunday.

"I thought he threw the ball well. He was just missing over the inside part of the plate," manager Ron Washington said. "I'm going to say it was command because he was trying to get the ball in. They were taking."

Holland didn't get any offensive support from a lineup that continues to be without Michael Young (.322 average, 22 homers) and Josh Hamilton (.359 average, 20 RBIs in his last 30 games).

The Rangers had only seven singles against Jeremy Guthrie and two relievers and haven't scored since the third inning of a 5-4 loss Saturday.

"It's unusual, but we've got to continue to play hard," said second baseman Ian Kinsler, who had two hits. "We're in the middle of a pennant race. We don't really have time to think about that."