O's game blog: Andrew Cashner on the mound as O's look for split

Orioles pitchers have allowed 17 runs and 21 hits, including seven homers, in the first two games of this series against the New York Yankees, losing 7-5 in 10 innings and 10-3. Tonight, the Orioles host New York in the third game of a four-game series.

The Yankees hit four homers off four different pitchers to win the day portion of this day-night doubleheader, 10-3, in front of 32,445 at Camden Yards. The Orioles (37-92) have lost six in a row and fall to 6-8 against New York and to 21-42 at home.

New York (81-47) has won 13 of its last 18 and is 34 games over .500. That is a season high and their most above .500 since Sept. 26, 2011, when they were also 34 games over.

Right-hander Andrew Cashner (4-11, 4.84 ERA) will make his 25th start for the Orioles. Cashner gave up seven hits and five runs over six innings on Monday at Toronto. He had allowed three earned runs over 14 innings in his past two starts.

In six second-half starts, Cashner is 2-2 with a 5.67 ERA. His ERA took a beating the night he gave up 10 runs in 1 2/3 innings at Texas. Cashner has recorded eight quality starts over his past 13 games with an ERA of 4.64.

O's 2018 leaders in quality starts:
14 - Alex Cobb
12 - Dylan Bundy, Cashner
11 - Kevin Gausman

Cashner will be making his fourth start against the Yankees this season. He has gone 1-1 with a 4.42 ERA. It will be his seventh career start against the Yankees, going 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA.

Cashner will be making his 11th start against an American League East opponent in 2018. He has gone 2-4 with a 3.84 ERA and six quality starts in his first 10 games. Cashner has made 21 career starts against the division, 16 of which have been quality starts. He owns a career record of 7-7 with a 3.18 ERA versus the AL East.

Starting for New York is right-hander Sonny Gray (9-8, 5.34 ERA). The 28-year-old Gray is making his 26th appearance and 22nd as a starter. In his last start, on Aug. 1 versus the Orioles, Gray gave up eight hits and seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. After that game, he was banished to the bullpen, where he has pitched better. His last four games came out of the 'pen and he is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in those outings.

Gray is 8-8 with a 5.56 ERA in 21 starts this season. That is the sixth-highest ERA among major league pitchers with at least 20 starts in 2018. He has thrown at least five innings in 12 of his last 16 starts after failing to complete five in four of his first five starts, including a career-high streak of three straight in April. Gray has failed to complete four innings in six of 21 starts - all other Yankees starters have made eight such starts.

Cedric Mullins matched his career high with three hits in the opener. In 14 big league games, he is batting .333/.414/.549 with five doubles, two homers, five RBIs and an OPS of .963. Mullins is batting .414 (12-for-29) in eight home games.