O's game blog: Chris Tillman takes mound as O's look to end slide

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

July 05, 2016, 2:34pm

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LOS ANGELES - The Orioles are trying to end a few streaks tonight in the second game of this three-game series with the Dodgers. The Orioles have lost five in a row, the Dodgers have won 10 games in a row.

With their American League East lead down to two games, the Orioles (47-35) try to end a losing streak during which they have been outscored 38-20. The Orioles have allowed 28 runs over the last three games and 62 in the past nine.

O's starting pitchers have worked only 11 1/3 combined innings over three games, allowing 18 runs. On a road trip where they have a 2-5 record, the starting pitching ERA is 7.91.

Right-hander Chris Tillman (10-2, 3.71 ERA) will try to be the stopper tonight against right-hander Kenta Maeda (7-5, 2.82 ERA).

In mid-June, Tillman had a 2.87 ERA. But over his past three starts, he has allowed 14 runs over 14 2/3 innings for an ERA of 8.59 in that span. Tonight, he'll pitch not far from his hometown of Anaheim, Calif. The Orioles are 14-3 in his 17 starts this season.

The 28-year-old Maeda, from Osaka, Japan, has allowed one earned run or less in five of his past seven starts, going 4-2 with an ERA of 2.21. Over 40 2/3 innings, he has walked 13, fanned 41 and allowed a .219 batting average.

He ranks 15th in the National League in ERA, 18th in WHIP (1.09) and 14th in batting average against (.216). Maeda has never faced the Orioles.