O's game blog: Wrapping up the series in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY – The Orioles had won three in a row, five of six, 12 of 14 and 16 of their past 20 games until they were shutout for the first time this year, 6-0 last night at Kansas City. 

So Baltimore (20-10) play the series finale at Kauffman Stadium this afternoon and it is their fifth rubber game of the year. They lost their first two – at Boston and home vs. the New York Yankees. But have won the last two at the Chicago White Sox and home against Boston.

The Orioles are 11-6 on the road and 4-2 on this 10-game trip. They are 7-2 in their past nine road games and are 4-1 in road series.

Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 4.07 ERA) gets the ball this afternoon and he takes a 14-innings scoreless streak into this start. The streak started in the second inning April 16 at Chicago versus the White Sox. It continued in five-inning outings twice against Detroit, once at home and once on the road. His last outing was Game 2 of the doubleheader Saturday at Detroit, when he pitched five scoreless with nine strikeouts and 91 pitches.

In those past two outings, he has allowed seven hits in 10 innings with four walks and 15 strikeouts, allowing a .194 batting average and .525 OPS. He is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in three starts vs. teams from the AL Central.

For the year, Rodriguez has allowed 23 hits in 24 1/3 with 11 walks to 34 strikeouts. He has a 1.397 WHIP, allowing a .245 average and .644 OPS. He has walked 10.5 percent and fanned 32.4 percent. He averages 18.8 pitches per inning and 12.58 strikeouts for every nine innings.

The Orioles are 4-1 in his starts.

Rodriguez ranks in the top 10 percent of the big leagues in K percentage, top 23 percent in fastball velocity and top 24 percent in chase rate.

Last night the Orioles were held to five singles and one double, a night after producing 11 runs on 15 hits and going 8-for-18 with runners in scoring position. Last night they went 0-for-2 and were held to two runs or less for the seventh time in 2023.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson took the loss, allowing six runs over 6 2/3 and the O’s rotation ERA is 5.44 for the year. O’s starters have allowed four runs or more 15 times in 30 games. The O’s rotation has gone 10 games without a quality start, since Gibson recorded one April 22 vs. Detroit. This is the longest stretch of the year for the Orioles without a quality start.

Kansas City, now 8-23, recorded its first shutout since Sept. 17, 2022 at Boston last night and their first at home since Sept. 11, 2022 vs. Detroit. It was their first against the O’s since Sept. 9, 2021.

They won at Kauffman Stadium for the first time since April 3 vs. Toronto - one month ago to Tuesday - snapping a 10-game losing streak that fell a game shy of the K.C. franchise record of 11 consecutive home losses. That was done two times previously, from May 6-June 4, 2014 and Sept. 21, 2011-April 23, 2012.

Right-hander Jordan Lyles (0-5, 6.11 ERA), an Oriole last year, gets the start against the Birds today. In late December he signed a two-year deal with the Royals for $17 million. He went 12-11 with a 4.42 ERA for the Orioles over 179 innings and they were 17-15 in his games.

This year Lyles has thrown six innings three times and does not have a single quality start and K.C. is 0-6 in his starts.