O's game blog: Yefry Ramírez faces Texas, makes fourth start

The Orioles have played four one-run games among six on this current homestand, going 2-2. They lost 5-4 Friday night to Texas to start a three-game series that continues tonight at Oriole Park.

Friday's loss was the fourth in five games for Baltimore, and the 10th in 12 games. The Orioles are 4-21 in their past 25 home games and are 1-16 this season versus American League West teams. They are 3-10 in July.

Right-hander Yefry Ramírez (0-3, 3.93 ERA) will make his fourth start and fifth appearance for the Orioles. On Monday night, Ramírez took the loss in Game 2 of a doubleheader with the New York Yankees. Over four innings he allowed nine hits and four runs with two walks and four strikeouts on 92 pitches.

After that start Ramírez discussed his outing and facing his former team that night.

"It felt good to face them, even though I wanted to have a really good game so I could show them that they lost a really good player. But things didn't work out my way. I think I wasn't able to command my fastball at all. I missed some sliders, as well. The combination of that didn't lead to good results today. I will take this as a learning opportunity and growing experience. Get feedback from the veteran guys and, hopefully, I can have better success in the next starts," Ramírez said through interpreter Ramón Alarcón.

In his previous two games before that start, Ramírez had gone a combined 10 innings versus the Mariners and Phillies, allowing just four hits and one earned run. Lefty batters are hitting .300 (9-for-30) against him, and right-handers are batting .205 (8-for-38). He has given up just two hits in 17 at-bats while pitching with runners in scoring position, for an average against of .118.

Lefty Martin Pérez (2-3, 9.67 ERA) will come off the disabled list to start for Texas. Perez has been out since he made five starts in April. He went on the DL with elbow discomfort in his non-throwing arm. It was reported to be a result of a nerve issue that was a side effect of offseason surgery to repair a fractured right elbow. That happened in December in his native Venezuela.

In those five April starts, Pérez gave up 41 hits in 22 1/3 innings with 12 walks, 13 strikeouts and a .398 average against. He allowed seven home runs. But in three recent minor league rehab outings, he went 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA. He walked three and fanned 19 in 17 1/3.

In six career starts versus Baltimore he is 2-3 with a 6.17 ERA. In two starts versus the Orioles last year he was 0-2 with an 11.32 ERA.

Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .380 (19-for-50) with six doubles, two homers and three RBIs. He recorded his 19th multi-hit game of the season last night, and his seventh in his last 11 games. Schoop has hit safely in seven straight games against the Rangers, dating to last year, hitting .448 (13-for-29).

First baseman Chris Davis got his first stolen base of the season last night. It was his 18th career steal in 29 attempts. He last swiped a bag on Sept. 24, 2017 against Tampa Bay.