O's game blog: Looking to avoid a sweep in the Bronx

The Orioles need a win this afternoon at Yankee Stadium to avoid being swept in a three-game series. They hit three homers but lost 10-8 Friday night. The O's outhit New York 12-7 Saturday, and five pitchers held the Yankees offense in check. But the Birds lost, 3-2, in 11 innings.

The Orioles (44-110) have lost six of eight, 12 of 15 and 16 of their last 20 games. They have lost the first two games of their past five series. A loss today and the Orioles would be swept in a series of three of more games for the 17th time this year. They have one such sweep of their own.

The Orioles are now 17-60 on the road, and they have lost eight consecutive road series. They have lost 14 of their past 15 games away from Camden Yards and are 5-31 in their past 36 away games.

Right-hander Alex Cobb (5-15, 4.90 ERA) gets the start today, his first since Sept. 11 versus Oakland. That night he threw two scoreless on 30 pitches but left with a cut/blister on the middle finger on his right hand. Today Cobb is pitching on 11 days rest. This year, with six or more days of rest he is 1-2 with a 4.86 ERA. In 29 such starts over his career, he is 10-9 with a 3.56 ERA.

Before the All-Star break, Cobb went 2-12 with a 6.41 ERA and .313 batting average against. In 10 starts since the break, he is 3-3 with a 2.56 ERA and .232 average against.

The Orioles added free agent pitchers Cobb and Andrew Cashner before the 2018 season. They are 8-20 in games started by Cashner and 7-20 in games started by Cobb.

New York lefty J.A. Happ (16-6, 3.62 ERA) will get the start for the Yankees. New York traded with Toronto on July 26 to get Happ, sending Brandon Drury and Billy McKinney to the Blue Jays.

In nine starts with New York, Happ is 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA, 1.025 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.The Yankees are 8-1 in those games. Over his last three starts, Happ is 1-0 with an 0.50 ERA.

In four starts this season against the Orioles - one for New York - Happ is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA and .182 average against. In 19 career games and 18 starts, Happ is 7-6 with a 3.03 ERA and 1.173 WHIP versus the Orioles.

The O's could use a solid start from Cobb today for many reasons. Over their past 15 games they have just two quality starts with a rotation ERA of 6.98. They have just four quality starts the past 24 games with a 6.05 ERA.