It's the offense, too

While there has been a lot of focus on the O's struggling starting pitching lately - as there should be - the offense has not been pulling its weight either as the club is 2-9 since the All-Star break. The O's have scored three runs or less in seven of those 11 games and they are 3-51 this year when scoring three runs or less. Over the last six games, the O's are batting just 4 for 42 (.095) with runners in scoring position. After hitting eight homers in four games at Texas before the break, the Birds have hit 10 in 11 games since the break. Matt Wieters and Luke Scott have the hot bats at the moment. Scott, in eight games since his return from the DL is 14 for 31 (.452) with five homers and 10 RBI. Wieters, who produced his first-ever two-homer game on Monday, has a seven-game batting streak that began before he went on the DL. Over the stretch he is 10 for 24 (.417) with five extra-base hits and 6 RBI. Wieters had just six homers in his first 273 at bats this year before his outbust last night. Other O's struggling at bat right now: Izturis: Three hits his last 21 at bats. Jones: Is 2 for 13 his past four games. Markakis: Is 3 for his last 27 with just 1 RBI his past 12 games. Pie: Has just 4 hits his past 26 at bats. Tejada: Has 4 hits in 22 at bats. The starting pitcher numbers really jump out though as the club's starters ERA for the year is now 5.61. That is the worst ERA by a starting staff in all of baseball. Highest ERA's in MLB, starting pitchers: 5.61 - Orioles 5.46 - Pittsburgh 5.31 - KC 4.79 - Milwaukee The O's pitchers have allowed 19 runs on 32 hits, including seven homers, the last two games. O's starters have allowed 5 ER or more now in seven of the last nine games.