O's game blog: O's try to avoid sweep by the Angels

After finishing the month of June with just one home win and no wins versus any American League teams, the Orioles begin July today looking to avoid being swept in three straight by the Los Angeles Angels.

The Orioles (23-59) went 6-20 in June, which included a 1-12 home record and 0-15 mark versus AL teams. The Orioles have lost 7-1 and 6-2 games in this series. They took a 2-1 lead to the eighth yesterday, but allowed five runs in that inning to fall to 0-5 this year versus the Angels and 0-15 against AL West teams.

The Orioles have lost seven in a row and they have losing streaks this season of five, six, five, seven, seven, nine and seven games. The Orioles have been swept nine times this season in series of three or four games. They've been swept at Houston, Boston, Detroit, Anaheim and Oakland. Also versus Washington, at Toronto (four games), versus Boston and against Seattle (four games).

On the mound today, right-hander Kevin Gausman (3-6, 4.20 ERA) makes his 17th start. Over his past four games he's allowed three, two, two and one run pitching to an ERA of 2.96. Gausman has nine quality starts, second on the team to Dylan Bundy with 10, but the Orioles are just 4-12 in his games.

In six day game starts, Gausman is 1-3 with a 7.12 ERA and .341 average against. Gausman is 2-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 10 night game starts. He has allowed 2.96 homers per nine innings during the day and 0.84/9 at night. Gausman had an ERA of 4.15 in April and 4.50 in May. In five starts in June, he went 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA.

Right-hander Deck McGuire (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will make his third appearance for the Angels. In games versus Toronto and Boston, he has thrown five innings, allowing four hits and four runs (three earned) with three home runs allowed.

Farm notes: Right-hander Chris Tillman made his third minor league rehab start last night and gave up five runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings in Triple-A Norfolk's extra-inning loss to Durham. In three rehab starts, Tillman is 0-1 with an ERA of for 10.00 for short-season Single-A Aberdeen, Single-A Delmarva and Norfolk. Saturday's appearance was Tillman's 71st career start with the Tides, moving him past Mike Wright Jr. for the most starts by a Tide as an Orioles affiliate.

Norfolk center fielder Cedric Mullins went 3-for-5 with a homer and is now batting .259. Over his last 22 games, Mullins has hit .307 (27-for-88) with three home runs, 13 RBIs and nine multi-hit contests.

Double-A Bowie won 2-1 at Erie as lefty Brian Gonzalez threw seven innings, giving up five hits and one run with nine strikeouts. He is 2-4 with an ERA of 6.81. After a bunt single opened the game against Gonzalez, he retired 13 of the next 14 faced. He would also finish strong with five of his nine strikeouts in his final three innings of work. Branden Kline fanned three over two scoreless to complete the six-hitter and record his fourth save.

In Delmarva's win over Lakewood last night, lefty DL Hall, the Orioles' 2017 first-round pick, pitched four scoreless innings. Over his last four starts, Hall has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings, lowering his ERA from 4.28 to 3.14.