Bundy seeks improvements today in third start

Dylan Bundy is attempting today to lose a little of the consistency that he's brought into his first two starts.

Bundy has lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed three runs against the Yankees in the Bronx and in Baltimore. Perhaps a new opponent is needed, with the Orioles closing out their four-game series this afternoon against the Athletics before flying to Boston.

The ERA is frozen at 7.36, with seven walks and nine strikeouts over his 7 1/3 innings.

Asked about his side work this week, Bundy smiled and said he's focused on getting outs on only a couple of pitches instead of the prolonged at-bats.

"Just got to get early contact, and not so many foul balls," Bundy said. "Whether that's a better ahead-in-the-count pitch, just off the plate a little further, bounce it or just a little bit higher, things like that. It comes down to execution a little bit better.

"I feel like I've been hitting spots well, but I think you can hit them better with more conviction knowing that you're going to get soft contact or a strikeout."

Bundy threw 93 pitches in his debut while facing 18 batters and 85 in the rematch while facing 17. He needs more outs to work past the fourth inning, of course, but also have them come quicker to keep the count down.

"Just can't have that high of a pitch count in two starts like that and only get into the fourth inning," Bundy said. "Try to get the pitch count down a little bit and get deep in the game for the team."

In four career appearances against the Athletics, Bundy has gone 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.300 WHIP over 20 innings. He's struck out 28 batters and walked only four.

Khris Davis is 4-for-10 with a double and home run against Bundy and Kendrys Morales is 5-for-16 with a double and home run.

Bundy led the majors last year with 41 homers allowed. He gave up two in his last start and will try to snap the Orioles' streak of surrendering them in every game this season.

The Orioles have tied the club record for consecutive games allowing a home run to start the season with 12, also done by the 1994 team. The major league record is 16 by the 2009 Phillies.

The Orioles lead the majors with 32, including 23 on the homestand.

The bullpen leads the majors with 49 runs allowed.

Aaron Brooks is starting today for the Athletics and I've confirmed that he isn't the former New Orleans Saints quarterback.

Do not be fooled.

Brooks owns a 7.41 ERA and 1.647 WHIP in 20 career games, including 12 starts. It's going to take roughly forever for his numbers to settle down after he allowed 13 runs and 12 hits with three walks and two hit batters in 2 2/3 innings as a rookie with the Royals in 2014. The season ended after two appearances with his ERA at 43.88 and WHIP at 5.625.

The Orioles have seen Brooks twice coming out of the bullpen, but only for one inning. Anyone remember the one batter he faced on Aug. 14, 2015 at Camden Yards? Brooks replaced Drew Pomeranz in the bottom of the 13th inning after Caleb Joseph's one-out double and Manny Machado hit a walk-off home run.

The inning began with Junior Lake taking a called third strike. Times were good.

Brooks worked a scoreless and hitless inning on Sept. 12, 2018 in Baltimore.

Right-handers have slashed .352/.404/.574 against Brooks in his career and left-handers have slashed .303/.356/.492.

Jesús Sucre is 1-for-2 with a double against Brooks and Cedric Mullins is 0-for-1. That's it for the current Orioles.

A new pitcher will join the bullpen today after the Orioles optioned left-hander Josh Rogers.