O's game blog: Orioles look for four-game sweep against AL ERA leader Sonny Gray

The Orioles have never swept a four-game home series against the Oakland A's. They have that chance tonight at Camden Yards. Their last four-game road sweep of Oakland was from May 22-25, 1987.

It is also fair to say these teams don't often play four-game series. But this is one, and the Orioles have outscored Oakland 30-11 the last three games after Sunday's 18-2 win.

Since they were no-hit by Hisashi Iwakuma on Wednesday, the Orioles have scored 30 runs in three games with 48 hits including nine doubles and 10 homers and with a .375 batting average. The Orioles tied their team record for hits in a game with 26 yesterday. They went 26-for-48 in that game to raise the team batting average from .253 to .257 in one day.

In this series, Adam Jones has gone 7-for-15 with three homers and seven RBIs. Chris Davis is 7-for-15 with three homers and six RBIs and Gerardo Parra has gone 9-for-15 with two homers, seven runs and four RBIs. Over his last six games, Jones is batting .400 (10-for-25) with five homers and 10 RBIs. He has seven homers and 18 RBIs his last 16 games.

Parra has homered in two straight games for the second time this season and third in his career. Earlier this year, while with Milwaukee, he homered on July 5 at Cincinnati and the next day against Atlanta.

On the mound tonight, Chris Tillman (8-7, 4.66 ERA) faces the American League ERA leader in right-hander Sonny Gray (12-4, 2.06 ERA).

The A's first-round pick (No. 18 overall) in the 2011 draft, Gray is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.72 his last three starts, allowing two runs and 12 hits in 25 innings. The A's are 15-8 in his starts, including 7-1 in the last eight. Gray is 8-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 12 road starts. In three career starts versus the Orioles, he is 1-2 with a 7.04 ERA. He has not faced Baltimore this year.

Tillman went 12 days in between starts due to an ankle injury before he pitched on Tuesday at Seattle. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs against the Mariners. He had allowed just one run in 23 2/3 innings his previous three outings.

Over his last seven starts, Tillman is 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA allowing six walks with 32 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings. In four career starts versus Oakland, Tillman is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA.

Bridwell update: Double-A Bowie right-hander Parker Bridwell got a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow today, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. But Showalter said it appears there is no structural damage.

"He had a PRP injection, but structurally, they think he's in good shape," Showalter said. "I like Parker Bridwell. I think he's a guy under the radar. I really do. He's a guy that I was glad to see him get through the Rule 5 stuff."

Bridwell has been out since late July. Ranked as the organization's No. 22 prospect by Baseball America after the 2014 season, Bridwell is 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 18 Bowie Baysox starts. He had pitched to an ERA of 3.36 over his last eight starts.

Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Junior Lake has been activated after being optioned from the Orioles. Also, right-hander Gene Escat was transferred from Bowie and Norfolk and is starting for the Tides tonight at Indianapolis.

The A's need a win tonight to avoid going 0-7 on a road trip to Toronto and Baltimore. They have been outscored 48-18 on this trip, scoring three or less five times. Oakland has lost 10 of its last 11 and 13 of its previous 16 road games.