O's game blog: Dylan Bundy on the mound in SF series opener

The Orioles begin a weekend series in San Francisco tonight, the last stop of a three-city, 10-game road trip. They went 2-1 at Chicago and 1-3 at Oakland to begin the trip.

Their 9-6 win yesterday ended a three-game losing streak at Oakland, where they had scored just three runs in the first three games. Mark Trumbo hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, Pedro Alvarez had a three-RBI game and Adam Jones hit a solo homer.

One game doesn't prove that the Orioles are out of their offensive doldrums, however. They've scored three or fewer runs in six of the past nine and 11 of 17 games. They've done that in 16 of 27 games since the All-Star break, going 13-14 in that time.

San Francisco (65-49) led the National League West by 6 ½ games at the All-Star break, but their lead is now down to one game over the Dodgers. The Giants are 8-16 since the break, with a series record of 1-6-1.

The Giants, who are 32-21 at home, rank fifth in the NL in team ERA (3.64) and fourth in rotation ERA (3.72). They are sixth in runs, fourth in batting average (.258) and seventh in team OPS (.728).

Right-hander Dylan Bundy (5-3, 3.05 ERA) makes his sixth start tonight and faces right-hander Matt Cain (4-6, 5.16 ERA), a three-time All-Star making his 16th start of the season.

Over his last three starts against the Rockies, Rangers and White Sox, Bundy has allowed a batting average against of just .115 (7-for-61). Bundy gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings in his first start versus Tampa Bay, but his ERA is 1.90 his last four starts. In those four games, he has pitched 23 2/3 innings, allowing three walks with 29 strikeouts.

Over his last 11 games since June 9, Bundy's numbers look like this: 41 1/3 innings, 28 hits, nine earned runs, 10 walks, 52 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.96.

Cain has pitched 10 scoreless over his last two outings after a three-start stretch where he gave up 12 runs over 11 1/3 innings. In nine home starts, he is 3-3 with a 4.66 ERA. The Giants are 7-8 in his 15 starts, but have won six of the last eight. In Cain's only career start versus Baltimore on Aug. 11, 2013, he allowed three runs over seven innings.

The Orioles' starting rotation has put together a run of seven consecutive quality starts, notching an ERA of 2.93 over that time. Over the last 11 games, they have recorded nine quality starts and have the same ERA of 2.93.

Jones is batting .452 (14-for-31) with five multi-hit games during a seven-game hitting streak. Alvarez is batting .370 (10-for-27) his last eight games with five homers and nine RBIs. In 10 games this month, Manny Machado is batting .341 (14-for-41) with four homers, 11 RBIs, a .707 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.071.