Garcia expected to start Monday (with more notes)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Freddy Garcia remains the scheduled starter for Monday's series opener against the New York Yankees at Camden Yards. Jake Arrieta also was a consideration, but Garcia apparently will pitch on normal rest. "Freddy's scheduled right now," Showalter said. Garcia has allowed eight runs and 12 hits in 9 2/3 innings over his last two starts after taking a perfect game into the seventh inning in his Orioles debut in Anaheim. Miguel Gonzalez will come off the disabled list and start Tuesday night, followed by Jason Hammel on Wednesday. The Yankees are deciding between Phil Hughes and left-hander Vidal Nuno for Monday. Whichever pitcher doesn't start that night will take the mound on Tuesday, followed by Hiroki Kuroda on Wednesday. Danny Valencia will be in the lineup against the left-hander. Same as today versus Tampa Bay southpaw Matt Moore. The Orioles will have to clear a spot on the 25-man roster for Gonzalez when he's activated Tuesday. Backup catcher Taylor Teagarden, on the disabled list with a dislocated left thumb, will begin a hitting and catching progression on Monday. Wilson Betemit, on the DL with a Grade 2/3 tear of his right PCL, is jogging in the pool at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Still no baseball activities. Brian Roberts will have the sutures removed from his right leg on Monday following surgery on his hamstring. The sutures were supposed to come out on Friday, but the incision hadn't fully healed. Showalter said he's fine with Ryan Flaherty playing a variety of positions at Triple-A Norfolk. He won't be restricted to second base. It's more important for Flaherty to get regular at-bats and come out of his offensive funk. Shameless plug alert: I'm appearing on O's Xtra today at 1 p.m. on MASN. More notes: In four starts with four days rest this year, Chris Tillman is 2-0 with a 1.73 ERA. In his four starts with five or more days of rest, he's 1-1 with a 5.39 ERA. Tillman is pitching on four days rest today. The Orioles have lost four in a row for the first time since May 26-June 1, 2012, when they lost six in a row. They've dropped five straight at home for the first time since June 28-July 15, 2011. The last time they began a homestand with four straight losses was April 9-14, 2010, when they lost three each to Toronto and Tampa Bay. The last time they were swept in a three-game set at Camden Yards was April 9-11, 2012 by the Yankees. The Orioles have allowed nine runs in the ninth inning in the four games of this homestand after permitting seven ninth inning runs in the first 38 games of the year. Among players with 50 or more at-bats in day games, Adam Jones leads major leaguers with a .418 (28-for-67) average. Nate McLouth (.377, 20-for-53) is seventh in the majors and third in the American League. The Orioles scored four runs in the first inning Saturday, increasing their first inning run differential to +19 (34-15). According to STATS, that is the second-best first inning run differential behind Milwaukee (+21, 35-14).