O's game blog: Kyle Gibson faces the Cubs in Game 2 of Wrigley Field series

CHICAGO – In May the Orioles had impressive series wins against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees in which they lost the first game of the series but won the next two. They will try to pull this off now in a series not involving an AL East club. 

They lost 10-3 at Wrigley Field to the Chicago Cubs (32-37) on Friday, and the clubs meet this afternoon in the second game of this series.

The Orioles had won six of their last seven games by a combined 42-20 score before they got thumped here in the series opener, falling to 16-7 in series-opening games and to 9-3 when the series opener is on the road. The Orioles are now 22-12 in road games.

The Cubs are playing better ball lately and have now won four in a row and six of their past seven games. Their four-game win streak ties their season high from April 16-19. The Cubs have scored 38 runs in those wins. It’s the first time they have scored 38 in a four-game span since April 21-24, 2021.

The Cubs had a six-run inning in Friday’s win. They now have an inning scoring four runs or more in four straight games for the first time since June 28-July 1, 2018.

The Cubs, who swept the National League Central-leading Pittsburgh Pirates before this series three in a row by a combined 28-11 score, are now 19-16 at home and 8-6 in June.

Chicago’s Christopher Morel was 3-for-5 Friday with a solo homer and two-run double. He is 11-for-22 during a six-game hitting streak with two home runs and eight RBIs.

Dansby Swanson extended his hitting streak to five with a solo homer off O’s lefty Cole Irvin. He is 8-for-23 (.348) during his streak. Swanson has now played 52 straight errorless games at shortstop, the third-longest stretch by a Cubs shortstop since 1901.

The O’s Gunnar Henderson went hitless Friday. But he is batting .323 (21-for-65) over his last 19 games with three doubles, six homers and 18 RBIs. Henderson has hit four homers his last eight games and five in the last 11.

Ryan O’Hearn is 10-for-18 (.556) during a five-game hitting streak with two doubles, two homers, seven runs and four RBIs. He is batting .421 (16-for-38) his past 11 games.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson (8-3, 3.90 ERA) will try to pitch his club to a win in this series today. He is making his 15^th start and the Orioles are 9-5 in his first 14. They are 4-1 his last five starts, and Gibson has three quality starts in that span, going 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA.

In eight road starts this year, Gibson is 4-1 with a 4.18 ERA. In three career starts versus the Cubs he is 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA.

Lefty Justin Steele (6-2, 2.65 ERA) is expected to come off the injured list and make this start for the home team. He is having a big year, even though his last Cubs start was May 31. For the season, Steele has allowed two earned runs or fewer nine times in 12 starts and has eight quality starts.

He had a strong 2022 season for the Cubs, going 4-7 but with a 3.18 ERA. This season his ERA was 1.49 in April.