A look at the inconsistent offense and a strong start on the farm

Orioles manager Buck Showalter sometimes says "There was a game to be won there" after an Oriole loss, and that statement was certainly true last night.

Yes the game got away in the top of the ninth, but if the Orioles offense had gotten something going before that, we would not have seen Nestor Cortes Jr. try to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth. Some could second-guess the skipper for even bringing him into a situation down 2-1 in the ninth, but I get back to the offense.

The Orioles put the first two runners on in the first and second innings versus Toronto lefty J.A. Happ. But not only they could not advance those runners even a base, they struck out six times in those two innings. They went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base. They had plenty of chances.

So much for the momentum from the series in New York.

First baseman Chris Davis deserves criticism of course, since he is batting just .088 at 3-for-34. He looks lost up there and bunted on a 1-2 pitch in the last of the eighth.

But Davis has company in not hitting to this point. The Orioles' team batting average is .214, which ranks 14th in a 15-team league. They are 13th with a team OBP of .287, 11th in slugging at .352 and 11th in OPS at .640. They have scored three runs or fewer seven times.

The Orioles are batting just .174 with runners in scoring positon, and in their seven losses they are 6-for-48 (.125) with runners in scoring position. A year ago they hit .287 with RISP to rank second in the league, behind only the World Series champion Houston Astros.

Right now, Tim Beckham is batting .196, Caleb Joseph .115, Anthony Santander .182. Jonathan Schoop is batting .200 and is 2-for-24 his past five games. This followed back-to-back three-hit games in the last two games of the series in Houston.

Harvey recalled: Right-handed pitching prospect Hunter Harvey awoke Monday morning expecting to pitch above the Single-A Delmarva level last night for the first time ever. He was scheduled to make a three-inning start for Double-A Bowie. But with two extra-inning games in New York over-taxing the Orioles bullpen, Harvey wound up in Baltimore and on the roster last night, available out of the bullpen.

His stay could be temporary, but for now Harvey is in the majors.

"I was actually really surprised," Harvey said after the game last night about the call to Baltimore. "I was supposed to make my first start in Double-A today, so to get that call from Brian Graham (director of player development) was kind of shocking."

Harvey was getting ready to make a Monday night start at Prince George's Stadium and got diverted to Camden Yards.

"It's a little different," he said. "I wouldn't say I changed a whole lot though. It's the same game. Just different level with better hitters and better competition. Just come to the park and get ready to go."

A reporter asked him if he had even allowed himself to think a call to the majors could come this fast

"Uh, no. It was a big surprise, but a great feeling," Harvey said.

Delmarva still unbeaten: The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds used a three-pitcher one-hitter to stay unbeaten last night in a 1-0 win over Hickory. Delmarva is 5-0, and that is its best start since going 6-0 in 1996. The Delmarva team was still part of the Montreal Expos' farm system then. The Shorebirds would became an Orioles affiliate the following season.

The latest Delmarva starter to excel on the mound is 21-year-old lefty Zac Lowther, who pitched six no-hit innings on 80 pitches in his Shorebirds debut. Lowther walked one and fanned 13 batters. Alex Katz pitched two innings and Zach Muckenhirn got the save as Delmarva pitching fanned 16 on the night. Shorebirds starting pitchers have a 1.91 ERA during the unbeaten start

Lowther was drafted with the No. 74 overall pick last June out of Xavier. In 13 career games - last year with short-season Single-A Aberdeen and last night - he is 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA. Over 60 1/3 innings he has walked 12 and fanned 88 with a 0.78 WHIP. He is ranked as the Orioles' No. 17 prospect by MLBPipeline.com.

Triple-A Norfolk (1-2) lost 4-1 to Charlotte. Michael Saunders homered, but is 1-for-11 in his first three games with the Tides. Double-A Bowie (3-2) won in 11 innings, 4-3 over Erie. Aderlin Rodriguez homered with three RBIs and Tanner Chleborad fanned three over 1 1/3 to get the win. Single-A Frederick (3-2) got shutout 5-0 by Carolina.