O's game blog: Looking for a streak-ender at Minnesota

The Orioles need a win today to both avoid being swept in this three-game series in Minnesota and also to end an eight-game losing streak. The O's eight-game streak is their longest since they also dropped eight in a row Aug. 12-19, 2019.

The club has not lost nine straight games since they lost 10 in a row from June 12-21, 2019. The Orioles have been outscored 69-37 (minus-32 run differential) in this stretch, while posting a 9.00 ERA and batting .254. The O's are 2-15 since May 7.

They have a few streaks they can snap with a victory today. They would end both an eight-game overall losing streak and a seven-game road losing streak. They would snap a 14-game losing streak to the Twins that dates to opening day March 31, 2018 and they would end a nine-game losing streak at Target Field that dates to July 9, 2017.

The Orioles (17-31) have the worst record in baseball. On May 5, after John Means pitched a no-hitter and they won 6-0 at Seattle, the Orioles were 15-16 and had won five of their previous seven games. Today is three weeks from that date and the Orioles are 2-15 since then, and they are 1-12 in the last 13 games.

The pitching stats recently:

* The Orioles have allowed 69 runs during the eight-game losing streak.
* They have allowed five runs or more in 11 of the last 12 games, giving up 95 runs in that span.
* Their starting pitcher ERA is 8.32 over the last 16 games and they have just one quality start the past 12 games.
* The bullpen ERA is 9.46 during the losing streak and it is 6.35 the past 22 games.

On the mound today, right-hander Jorge López (1-5, 6.00 ERA) faces righty Michael Pineda (2-2, 2.79 ERA). In four starts this month, López is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA.

On the farm last night: Triple-A Norfolk beat Charlotte 5-4 with a walk-off win on an error by Charlotte in the last of the ninth. Right-hander Kyle Bradish allowed five hits and two runs over 3 1/3 innings in his Triple-A debut. Right-hander Dillon Tate pitched a scoreless inning on nine pitches in a rehab outing. Taylor Davis had three hits for the Tides. Lefty Zac Lowther starts tonight for Norfolk, which is 5-14 and has won two in a row following a nine-game losing streak.

Harrisburg beat Double-A Bowie 10-6 Tuesday night. On his rehab start, Mike Baumann gave up a three-run homer in the first inning. He went just 2/3 of an inning, allowing two hits and four runs (three earned) while throwing 33 pitches. Patrick Dorrian hit a two-run homer, No. 7 for Bowie and Robert Neustrom hit a two-run shot, No. 1. Lefty Kevin Smith starts tonight for Bowie, which is 13-5.

High Single-A Aberdeen won 8-1 at Brooklyn to improve to 12-7. Winning pitcher Drew Rom gave up six hits and one run over five innings to improve to 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA. Zach Watson hit a three-run homer and added a sac fly in the win, and Adam Hall went 2-for-2 with two walks. Hall stole his sixth base of the year and Maverick Handley stole his seventh.

Low Single-A Delmarva kept scoring runs in a 7-3 win over Lynchburg in a matchup of 13-5 clubs. J.D. Mundy hit a solo homer, No. 4, and Hudson Haskin had an RBI single as he extended his hitting streak. He has now hit safely in 10 straight games, batting .463 (19-for-41).

Elias speaks: Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias conducted a Zoom interview with O's reporters today. Despite the club's recent slide he expressed confidence in the team and the rebuilding process.

"We continue to have the utmost confidence in the coaches and player development professionals that we have up and down the organization," said Elias. "The people that are involved in guiding these young players and coaching them and making decisions about their futures. And the players themselves. This wave of young players right now that are undergoing some struggles in what I call their sophomore seasons are a very talented group. I don't think this is unexpected. Sophomore slumps are real.

"You are looking at young pitchers that have undergone struggles this year. The ERAs are a little high, but the strikeout and walk numbers remain positive. Those are interesting and indicative of future results. And we see a lot of talent there. This is a group of players that we believe in."

Elias was asked if some minor league prospects will get promoted soon, and it looks like they will. I recently wrote here that some front office staffers in the industry feel the start of June could see movement throughout the game.

"I think we already are talking and we've seen Kyle Bradish promoted already," he said. "And we may be doing more big-name moves in the next week or two. Very, very unique circumstance this year having the season cancelled (last year). First and foremost we wanted to make sure that you know we weren't missing anything. We hadn't seen these guys play real games for a while. So on the whole, we erred toward lower assignments with the idea that, if we felt that they were ready, we would start challenging them."

Elias also reiterated his belief in the rebuilding effort.

"I have said all along this is not something you want to do purposefully," he said. "This is where we started from when this group came in. We are trying to fix things. The way that baseball is and set up, it takes more than one season or two seasons. Especially in the division that we are in. There are some lengthy processes. We have been here for two drafts, one of them was only five rounds. But we are seeing those players graduate up through the minor leagues. Soon the international players will join them. There is a lot to look forward to. We are doing things the right way and doing them in a way that will set us up for a long time. So hopefully we can be among those organizations that are able to avoid going through processes like this. And it is possible and it's difficult. But you have to get to that level first."

Check Roch's blog later for more from Elias.