Trying to avoid a club record road losing streak

CHICAGO - Now a team with a losing record for the first time since the next to last day of the 2015 season, the Orioles continue to search for answers. They are just not finding many.

Whether it is another starter that doesn't get deep in a game or another night of missed chances on offense, a lot continues to go wrong for a team that once was 12 games over .500. But now the Orioles are 31-32 and much closer to last place than first.

Last night's White Sox starter, left-hander Derek Holland, had allowed 14 runs in seven innings his past two starts. And then gave up just one over six innings to the Orioles, who have hit into six double plays in this series.

In the fifth last night, third baseman Manny Machado slammed his bat to the ground after a popout with two on and none out at a point where the O's trailed 2-1.

"I mean, I got mad because I missed a pitch," he said. "I was sitting on it and I just missed it. So I got frustrated. Every run counts. He got out of two innings that we should have got a couple of runs. That is just how things are going for us right now."

So the latest loss, the club's sixth in a row, was by a 6-1 score at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Orioles have scored 17 runs the last six games. They are 8-23 when scoring three runs or less.

Meanwhile, with 11 consecutive road losses, the Orioles are two away from the club record. The 1988 Orioles were a team that started 0-21 and lost 107 games. They were also a team that lost 13 straight road games from April 8 to April 28 that season. The win that ended the streak was a 9-0 win in this city against the White Sox that snapped the 0-21 start. If the Orioles get swept in this four-game series, they'll match that 13-game road losing streak.

"I mean, this is part of game," Machado said. "We know there are ups and downs. We have to always stay positive. We're going to snap out of this and when we do, you know, hold on to your seats, because we're coming."

Jiménez in the 'pen: Since he was taken out of the rotation, right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez has pitched four times out of the Orioles bullpen. The latest was Monday when he gave up three runs over 3 2/3 innings. His ERA over these last four games out of the 'pen is 5.27.

"He's adapting fine," manager Buck Showalter said of Jiménez working out of the bullpen. "You have to give him a little extra time to warm up. The problem is I really don't want to get him warmed up and not come in the game. It takes some ... it's challenging to make sure you give him enough time, but you don't get him up and not bring him in the game.

"He's doing OK. His fastball is coming out good. When he makes mistakes, they get hit. He's doing OK. Statistically, it's OK. Like to have better."

He keeps wearing out right-center field: When the Orioles' Trey Mancini comes to bat, maybe the opponents should put on a shift - in the outfield. He keeps mashing balls to right and right-center. That is where his three-run homer went Monday night and he smoked a double he there last night.

Mancini said he has always concentrated on an all fields hitting approach that features trying to drive the ball that way.

"As far as hitting, I always try to commit to that way first," Mancini said. "And maybe anything on the inner half, just kind of let reactions take over and take my hands to it. When I worked with Brady (Anderson) and kind of changed my stance, a lot of that was getting good carry on the ball to right-center field. That is something I've always worked on and has always been my bread and butter. I always envision hitting a line drive to right-center, at least when I am going well."

Click here for a rundown on the first two days of the First-Year Player Draft by the Orioles. The draft concludes today, starting at noon Eastern time, with clubs drafting players in rounds 11 through 40.