More stats on the offense, plus notes on Tolliver, Gallardo and Rickard

HOUSTON - The Houston Astros brought a four-game losing streak into their series with the Orioles. They leave it with a three-game win streak, their first sweep of the year and the Orioles have their first four-game losing skid.

Starting this weekend we find out if the Orioles can stop chasing curveballs and start scoring more runs. Houston's 52 strikeouts in the three-game series is a new major league record. Houston becomes the first team since 1913 to strike out 15 or more in three straight games.

Those stats can't sit well with the Orioles. Adam Jones had a lot to say about it last night. I asked him if the Orioles should expect to see a steady diet of curveballs until the team stops chasing them.

"Well, I think if they hung one and we hit it out, I don't think you guys would be saying that, right?" Jones said. "Take the yin with the yang, bro. At the end of the day I think our production, our power, will be right there. Like I said, this last week, everyone was raving and rooting us on how we hit (four) home runs first day in Anaheim. Take the good with the bad, stop complaining and root us on. If you want to jump off the bandwagon, be my guest. You're going to have to ride or die with us and if you want to, fine with it."

In the Houston series, the Orioles scored just seven runs on 24 hits with a team average of .203. They made four errors on Wednesday night and in the series, went 4-for-28 (.143) with runners in scoring position. This needs to get turned around starting tonight.

Tolliver's strong debut: He waited a long time to make his major league debut, but lefty reliever Ashur Tolliver said the wait was worth it. A minor league pitcher since 2009, Tolliver took a big league mound for the first time in the sixth inning last night. Then he threw pitches at 94 and 96 mph to get ahead of Colby Rasmus before he struck him out with a changeup. He had nine friends and family members in the stands and fanned three in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

"I'm happy for Ashur," manager Buck Showalter said. "That was really impressive. Most of the time you got a lot of adrenaline going like that, it's tough to funnel into the competition and he was able to do that. I'm real proud of him. He's a guy that has plied his trade for a long time and people tell him, somebody can't do this.

"I know there's a lot of people, obviously his family, happy to see him get to where he's wanted to get. We'll see what it does when the adrenaline wears off, but good job by our scouting and player development people to hang on."

Another bullpen for Gallardo: As he works his way back from right shoulder tendinitis, Yovani Gallardo's second bullpen session went better than his first and that one went quite well. Gallardo threw 25 pitches in his first 'pen in Anaheim and threw 30 pitches at what he called "high intensity" in Houston. It had to feel good to cut it loose.

"Of course," Gallardo said. "Once you get on the mound for that first time, you still think about it a little bit. Whether it's (the shoulder soreness) still going to be there or not. But I was pretty satisfied how the first one went and especially (Wednesday). It's definitely a great feeling," he said.

Now Gallardo will throw a two-inning simulated game tomorrow in Cleveland and he is rapidly closing in on a minor league rehab assignment followed by a return to the Orioles' rotation.

He took a rest: Outfielder Joey Rickard has not had many days off this year, but he got one Wednesday night. Showalter said the rookie handled it well.

"You watch some young guys first time they get a day off," Showalter said. "Joey was good with it. You could tell it was kind of a bit of a break and relaxing for him. I was watching him in the dugout and he was pretty upbeat about it. Not that he didn't want to play, but I think it was good for him."

Rickard went 0-for-4 with a walk last night. He has two hits his last 17 at-bats as his average has dropped to .253. After batting .280 in April, Rickard is batting .221 this month.

Hyun Soo Kim went 5-for-7 the past two games and is hitting .444 in 36 at-bats. Will we see some shakeup in the at-bats among the corner outfielders coming soon?