Avoiding doubleheader only victory for Orioles last night

One reason why the Orioles were concerned about a possible postponement of last night's game against the Twins, besides the usual distain for playing a doubleheader, was the challenge in finding a sixth starter for Tuesday night's game in Kansas City.

Tyler Wilson is on the minor league disabled list with a strained left oblique. He's throwing on flat ground and nearing a bullpen session, but a Tuesday start would have been too ambitious.

Mike Wright is on the major league disabled list with a strained left calf muscle. He's scheduled to throw a three-inning, 45-pitch simulated game on Saturday in Sarasota. Would it have been too soon to hand him the ball Tuesday?

It wouldn't have been an ideal solution, considering that he hasn't pitched since working one inning on July 31.

Left-hander Chris Jones, the International League's reigning Pitcher of the Week, started last night and would be working on normal rest if the Orioles selected his contract. However, there are questions about whether his stuff would play at this level - the same uncertainties that surround Terry Doyle, who's a combined 14-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 23 games (18 starts) between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie.

Steve Johnson may not be stretched out enough to work deep into a start, but he's won at this level and is 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 29 games at Norfolk, with 60 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings.

The Tides are listing Elih Villanueva as tonight's starter and left-hander Mike Belfiore as Saturday's starter. The next two spots are TBA.

The Orioles take great pride in their pitching depth and the freedom to dip into the minors for a fresh arm, but injuries and the Zach Davies trade have complicated matters.

Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen faced the Twins last month and allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings in a 4-2 loss. He's surrendered three earned runs or fewer in 14 of his last 15 starts. However, he worked 5 1/3 innings or fewer in three consecutive starts before going 7 1/3 and six in his last two outings.

In those last two starts, Chen allowed three runs and 11 hits over 13 1/3 innings, with two walks and 12 strikeouts.

Chen is 3-1 with a 3.23 ERA in five starts against the Twins. The current group is batting .321 (25-for-78) against him.

Brian Dozier is 5-for-13 with a home run, Eduardo Nunez is 5-for-14 with three doubles, Joe Mauer is 5-for-14 with a double, Trevor Plouffe is 4-for-13 with two doubles and a home run, and Torii Hunter is 3-for-9 with a double and home run.

Left-hander Tommy Milone held the Orioles to one run over seven innings in a 5-3 win on July 8. His ERA was down to 2.83, but he's currently 6-3 with a 3.65 ERA.

Milone has made one start since July 31 due to a strained left elbow. He allowed one run and three hits in five innings Sunday against the Indians.

Milone is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA in four career starts against the Orioles. In his only start at Camden Yards, he allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings.

Manny Machado is 5-for-11 with a double and home run against Milone, Chris Davis is 4-for-11 with a double and two home runs, J.J. Hardy is 5-for-12 with a double and Adam Jones is 2-for-12 with a double.

Davis is batting .361/.458/.852 (22-for-61) with three doubles, nine home runs and 18 RBIs in his last 17 games. Matt Wieters is batting .367/.387/.500 during an eight-game hitting streak that's his longest since hitting in nine straight Sept. 28, 2013-April 9, 2014.

Gerardo Parra is batting .419/.438/.742 during a seven-game hitting streak. Jones is batting .333/.357/.846 (13-for-39) in his last 10 games. Steve Clevenger is batting .389/.389/.528 in 10 games with the Orioles this season.

Ryan Flaherty followed an 0-for-34 stretch with a single and walk last night.

The Orioles could make a roster move before the September expansion with Steve Pearce entering the second day of his injury rehab assignment. He'll play in the field today for the Gulf Coast League team and head north to join another affiliate over the weekend.

Could Pearce be activated Monday night in Kansas City?

"That's a little bit of a push, but I'm not going to say it's outside the realm of possibility," said manager Buck Showalter. "That would be four games, really five seeing live pitching. He's been out 30-something days. We'll see. He had three good at-bats (yesterday) of the four. Stung the ball."

Norfolk infielder Rey Navarro is day-to-day with a strained groin. Minor league catcher Jonah Heim, unable to play due to a left foot injury, is taking batting practice and "doing good," Showalter said. Double-A Bowie shortstop Ozzie Martinez was believed to be lost for the season with a hand injury, but Showalter said "he's getting close to being back."

Supplemental draft pick Ryan Mountcastle, playing shortstop for the GCL Orioles, is expected to move up to short-season Single-A Aberdeen.