O's game blog: Alex Cobb pitches Texas series opener

The Orioles (26-68) host the Texas Rangers (40-54) tonight to start a three-game series that will wrap up an eight-game homestand. The Orioles are 2-3 on the homestand after splitting four games with the Yankees and losing last night to the Phillies.

Texas just got swept three straight at Boston and is 2-4 on a 10-game, 11-day trip that started with a four-game split in Detroit. Texas has lost five of six and is 2-9 in July, the second-lowest winning percentage in the American League for the month to the Royals at .100 (1-9).

The Orioles are looking for their first quality start since July 5. They've gone eight games without one with a rotation ERA of 8.12 in that time.

Right-hander Alex Cobb (2-11, 6.67 ERA) gets the start tonight after allowing five runs in five innings his last time out against the Twins. Over his last six starts, Cobb is 0-4 with a 7.41 ERA. For the year he has seven quality starts, but the Orioles are only 3-13 in his outings. Cobb's last win was June 5 at the New York Mets.

Lefty Cole Hamels (4-8, 4.28) will start for Texas, coming off an outing that matched the shortest of his career. In Saturday's 7-2 loss at Detroit he went 2/3 of an inning and gave up five hits and seven runs (three earned). He is 0-2 with an 11.81 ERA over his past three starts.

The Orioles and Rangers are meeting for the first time this year. The Orioles were 4-10 versus Texas in 2015-2016 but went 6-1 last year, including a four-game sweep in Baltimore by a 34-11 scorec July 17-20. The Orioles are 11-3 at home against Texas since 2014.

Baysox to raise funds: The Orioles Double-A Bowie Baysox affiliate announced today that the team will donate 50 percent of their ticket proceeds from their home game on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 7:05 p.m. against the Erie SeaWolves to two funds set up to help and honor the victims and families affected in the Capital Gazette tragedy that occurred on June 28, 2018.

Fifty percent of all ticket sales that occur online at Baysox.com between 9 a.m. on Friday, July 13, and 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18, for the game on July 19 will be donated to the Capital Gazette Families Fund and the Capital Gazette Memorial Scholarship Fund.

"The Annapolis Capital and its affiliate papers - including the Bowie Blade-News and West County Gazette - have been such important partners to the Baysox since our first game in 1993," said Baysox general nanager Brian Shallcross. "Over the many years of working together, we have come to know many great people at the Capital Gazette family who have put their heart and soul into their craft. We are saddened at the tragic loss of our good friend John McNamara and colleagues Gerald Fischman, Robert Hiaasen, Wendi Winters and Rebecca Smith.

"The Baysox wanted to provide a forum for our fans to be able to contribute to their memories and celebrate the lives and legacies of those lost in the tragic events of June 28, and we hope that these efforts at our home game on July 19 will bring those in our community together to do just that."

Tickets for the game July 19, start at just $8, and all online ticketing fees have been waived for this event. Tickets can be purchased online at Baysox.com/tickets. Parking for all Baysox home games is free.