O's game blog: Orioles try to salvage the series finale versus San Diego

The Orioles have been swept this year three in a row by St. Louis, Houston and the Chicago Cubs. Today the San Diego Padres, winners of seven in a row, will try to add their name to the list.

San Diego (57-50) has won the first two games of this series by 6-4 and 9-4 scores. The Padres have won these last seven versus Cleveland, Washington and the Orioles. They have outscored their opponents 43-12 in this stretch, pitching three shutouts.

Their team ERA is 1.57 during the seven games as they have allowed a .143 batting average, a .443 OPS and just four home runs.

Their hitters are scoring 6.1 runs per game in the win streak, batting .308 with an .832 team OPS in the seven games.

San Diego is 12-3 in its last 15 road games, and that is the best road record in the major leagues since June 19.

The Orioles (61-43) still lead the American League East (now by one game over New York) but have lost five of six games and been outscored by 13 runs. They have lost 10 of 14 and been outscored by 27 runs in those games, and they've lost 12 of 18 while being outscored by 38 runs.

They have a minus-46 run differential in going 12-18 since June 21.

The Orioles have lost this series but today will try to avoid being swept for the third time in the last 10 series. They are 1-4 in their past five series.

The O's issues have been team-wide during these 30 games, pitching and offense both. We could throw in defense and baserunning too. The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in eight of their past 14 games, and they are averaging 4.13 runs per game in the 30 games to rank 22nd in the majors in runs per game in this span. Their 5.37 team ERA in the last 30 games is 28th in the majors in that span. 

Some of their best players are slumping right now. Gunnar Henderson is 4-for-27 his last seven games with no homers or RBIs his past eight games. In his last 21 games, he is batting .253 with two homers, five RBIs and a .680 OPS.

Adley Rutschman is 2-for-18 his past five games. And in 20 games since June 29, he is 9-for-74, batting .122 with two homers, six RBIs and with a .478 OPS. Rutschman is not starting today while Henderson has been dropped to third in the order today with Colton Cowser leading off. 

On the mound today, right-hander Albert Suárez (5-4, 3.48 ERA) will make his 21st appearance and 14th start. In 72 1/3 innings for the season he has allowed 1.327 WHIP while walking 3.2 batters per nine innings and getting 7.2 strikeouts. He allows just 0.6 homers per nine.

The Orioles are 7-6 in his starts, but just 2-4 in the past six.

Suárez has allowed 10 earned runs and 14 hits his last two games over seven combined innings. In his last five games, his ERA is 6.38 and he's allowed a .316 batting average and .885 OPS in that span. 

Lefty batters have an OPS of .715 versus Suárez, while right-handers post a .708 OPS. He yields a .555 OPS when pitching with runners in scoring position. 

Right-hander Randy Vasquez (3-5, 4.17 ERA) will pitch for San Diego. Stop me if you have heard this before, but he's a pitcher on a roll as he readies to face the Orioles.

Over his past five starts, he is 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA and .662 OPS. 

Lefty batters have really tagged him this year, batting .390 with an OPS of 1.025. He also had allowed an OPS of .966 this season the first time through an order. 

The O's have lost eight of their last nine home games, the worst nine-game stretch at home since Aug. 8-25, 2021 (1-8).