O's game blog: Orioles and Angels begin four-game series

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Orioles begin the second stop of their three-city road trip tonight. They play the Los Angeles Angels to begin a four-game series at Angel Stadium.

The Orioles scored just 12 runs in losing two of three at Arizona to begin this trip. They are 11-18 at Anaheim since 2011. That includes being swept by the Angels early last May three in a row by a 25-12 score. That left the Orioles at 8-23 to start the 2018 season. The clubs met May 10-12 of this season at Oriole Park with the O's losing two of three.

The Orioles (32-69) have won four of seven, are 5-7 since the All-Star break and 10-11 over the last 21 games. They have hit at least two homers in seven straight games, hitting 16. O's pitchers have allowed two runs or less in four of seven games. The Baltimore bullpen has allowed two runs over 13 2/3 innings the past four games.

The Angels (54-49) just swept a two-game series from the Los Angeles Dodgers, sweeping the season series (4-0) for the first time ever. The Angels are in third place in the American League West, 11 1/2 back of Houston. They are four games back for the second AL wild card spot. The Angels have won four in a row, are 9-3 since the All-Star game and 12-6 in July. After starting the year at 9-16, they are 45-33.

The Orioles originally listed Tom Eshelman (0-2, 6.91 ERA) to get this start but last night switched to right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis (1-2, 6.95 ERA). Sunday against Boston Yacabonis allowed eight hits and seven runs in just 1/3 of an inning as his ERA jumped from 5.13 to 6.95.

He has made two starts in 2019. On June 19 versus Oakland he threw two scoreless innings on 31 pitches. Six days later against San Diego he allowed five runs and two homers in 2 2/3 frames.

Lefty José Saurez (2-1, 5.51 ERA) will make his eighth start for Los Angeles. The 21-year-old from Venezuela has thrown 5 2/3 innings or less in each of his starts and four innings or less in his past three. On July 14 in his most recent start he gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 against Seattle.

Signed by the Angels for $300,000 at age 16 in 2014, he has been ranked among their top 30 prospects every year since 2015 with a high of No. 4 after last season. He throws a four-seam fastball 47 percent of the time with an average velocity of 92 mph. His most used secondary by a wide margin is a changeup thrown 35 percent at 82 mph.

O's hitting notes:
* Jonathan Villar went 0-for-15 in Arizona and has two hits his last 22 at-bats.

* Dwight Smith Jr. is 7-for-16 during a five-game hitting streak with a homer.

* Renato Núñez is batting .300 (18-for-60) over his past 15 games with six homers and 13 RBIs.

* Pedro Severino is 0-for-11 his last four games.

* Chris Davis went 0-for-9 with eight strikeouts at Arizona.

* Anthony Santander is batting .448 (13-for-29) his past seven games and has four homers his last six ballgames.