Can O's get offense untracked against Drabek?

The Orioles are looking to get their offense going tonight against Toronto right-hander Kyle Drabek. After going 4-5 with a 6.06 ERA last year, Drabek is 2-0 with an ERA of 2.00 so far this season. He beat the Orioles on April 15, giving up two runs (one earned) over 7 1/3, throwing 103 pitches. Through three starts, left-handed batters are hitting .143 against him and right-handed batters are hitting .296. The last two games, the Orioles scored just three and two runs yet won each game due to some very good pitching from their starter and the bullpen. But they clearly would like to see the bats get going. The Orioles have now scored three runs or less in six of the last seven games, yet have won four of the seven. Over those seven games, the team has scored a total of 20 runs with a team batting average of only .203 and have seven doubles, two triples and six homers in the stretch. Meanwhile, the O's starting pitchers have now posted back-to-back quality starts and have three in the last five games. The Orioles' record when their starter pitches six or more innings is 8-1 so far. The bullpen has been on a real pitching roll lately, allowing just one earned run in 13 1/3 over the past four games and and just two earned runs over 25 2/3 the last eight games for an ERA of 0.70 in that span. In a couple of notes from the minor leagues, it appears that right-handed pitcher Ryan Berry will be moved from extended spring training to Single-A Frederick by this weekend. Berry will likely work out of the bullpen for now, throwing two-inning outings. The Orioles' ninth-round pick out of Rice in 2009, Berry had some issues last year with shoulder tendinitis that limited him especially early on last season. But by the end of the year, Berry was throwing much better and he gave up just one run over his last 16 innings at Frederick and short-season Single-A Aberdeen. Frederick outfielder Trent Mummey, a fourth-round pick in 2010 out of Auburn, is off to a slow start with the Keys and is probably going to miss a few games with hamstring tendinitis. For now, Mummey is not heading to the disabled list. Over the first 14 games, Mummey is batting just .188 with three RBIs and just one extra-base hit to date in 48 at- bats for the Keys.



The error of their ways (updated twice)
For now Berken is workin' back at Camden Yards
 

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