O's game blog: O's face Andrew Cashner in series finale

The Orioles and Red Sox have exchanged blowout wins and they wrap up their three-game series this afternoon at Oriole Park. The Orioles won 11-2 Friday and lost 17-6 last night as they allowed 10 or more runs for the 19th time.

Anthony Santander produced his first four-hit game Saturday night as he raised his average from .280 to .299. He has homered in back-to-back games for the second time this season. Four of his six home runs have come from the left side of the plate, and five of his seven career home runs have come as a lefty. In 19 home games in 2019, he is hitting .373 (28-for-75) with four home runs, compared to .210 (13-for-62) in 17 road games. In 18 games against American League East opponents this season, Santander is batting .358 (24-for-67).

The Orioles today are trying to end a 10-series run without winning a series against Boston. They are 0-8-2 in the last 10, going 7-28. Boston is 19-3 its last 22 games in Baltimore.

The Orioles offense has produced three straight games with 14 hits each and they've scored 26 runs in those games. The 17 runs allowed by O's pitchers last night was more than they had allowed in the previous four games (16) combined.

On the mound today, the Orioles will start right-hander Asher Wojciechowski (0-3, 5.74 ERA). He will make his fifth appearance and fourth start for the Orioles. They are 0-3 in his first three starts.

The O's acquired the right-hander from Cleveland for cash considerations on July 1 and he started for the Orioles the next day. With Cleveland, he spent the year in Triple-A, going 8-2 with a 3.61 ERA at Columbus.

His last start for Baltimore was Tuesday in an 8-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. Over 5 1/3 innings, he gave up six hits and three runs with no walks and seven strikeouts. He allowed two homers over his 95-pitch outing.

The Orioles are one of eight major league organizations for the 30-year-old from Hardeeville, S.C. He's also pitched for the Toronto, Miami, Houston, Arizona, Cincinnati, the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland systems.

Right-hander Andrew Cashner returns today to face his former team. A week ago yesterday, the Orioles traded Cashner to Boston for a pair of 17-year-old players in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League outfielder Elio Prado and infielder Noelberth Romero.

In 17 starts with Baltimore, Cashner went 9-3 with a 3.83 ERA and the Orioles went 11-6 in those games. Over his last five O's starts, he went 3-1 with a 1.41 ERA. Over 32 innings, he walked four, fanned 18 and did not allow a home run.

Then, in his Boston debut, he gave up two homers on Tuesday against Toronto. Over five innings, he allowed eight hits and six runs (five earned) with two walks and two strikeouts on 92 pitches, 57 for strikes.

Cashner has been much better this year against left-handed batters. Versus lefties, he yields a .199 batting average and OPS of .544. Against right-handers, those numbers are .279/.830.

In three career starts against the Orioles, he has a 2.14 ERA. He has pitched at least 6 2/3 innings in each of those outings.