O's game blog: Looking to turn it around in Game 2 versus San Francisco

Having fallen four games out in the American League East race with 11 games left, the Orioles host San Francisco tonight in Game 2 of a three-game series at Oriole Park.

The Orioles (84-67) were held to five hits and blanked 10-0 last night. They have been shut out twice in the last four games, three times in the last eight and eight times on the season.

They have scored six runs the past four games and just 21 over the last 11 games, going 3-8. In that span, they are batting .189 with a .577 OPS and are 9-for-64 (.141) with runners in scoring position. Baltimore batters have scored two runs or less seven times in this span.

The Orioles are now 17 games over the .500 mark, the fewest they have been over .500 since June 6.

The O's have lost four of five, seven of nine, eight of 11 and are 26-29 since the All-Star break, 19-23 since Aug. 1 and 31-36 since July 1.

But since the start of 2023, Baltimore is 185-128 (.591), the best record in the AL and tied for the second-best winning percentage in the majors with the Braves, trailing the Dodgers (.604, 189-124), during that time.

The Birds still hold the No. 1 AL wild-card spot and lead Kansas City by 2.5 games and Minnesota by four for that spot.

Last night was the third time this season that the Orioles have lost by 10 or more runs.

* July 6, lost 19-8 at Oakland.

* April 12, lost to Milwaukee 11-1

* Last night, lost to the Giants 10-0.

The O's Gunnar Henderson is three homers shy of becoming the fourth shortstop (11th occurrence) in Major League Baseball history to hit 40 home runs, joining Alex Rodriguez (6x, 1998-2003), Rico Petrocelli (1969), and Ernie Banks (4x, 1957-60). He passed Cal Ripken, Jr. (1991) and Miguel Tejada (2004), who held the O's record by a shortstop with 34 entering this season. With three more long balls and one more stolen base, he would be the second player in Orioles history to hit 40 homers and steal 20 bases, along with Brady Anderson (50 HR, 21 SB) in 1996.

The Orioles and Giants meet for their only series of the season this week. Baltimore won two of three at Oracle Park last season from June 2-4. Entering this series, the 21 games all-time against San Francisco were tied for the fewest against one opponent along with the Reds, Dodgers, and Cardinals. Only seven of those games have come at Camden Yards, fewest by any opponent. The Birds are 19-25 (.432) against the NL this season.

Right-hander Dean Kremer (7-9, 4.10 ERA) will make his 23rd start tonight. The team is 9-13 in the first 22. Kremer has allowed two runs or less four times his past six starts, with five quality starts and a mark of 3-0 with a 2.62 ERA.

Righty Hayden Birdsong (3-5, 4.74 ERA) will be making his 14th start for the visitors. The team is 4-9 in his outings. While he pitched five scoreless in his last start versus Milwaukee, he has just one quality start for the season. He has thrown five or fewer innings 12 times in 13 games. 

The Giants ended their four-game losing streak last night but are still 12-20 (.375) since Aug. 11. The .375 winning percentage in that span is worst in the National League and third-lowest in MLB ahead of the Angels (10-24, .294) and White Sox (8-25, .242).

Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, who was originally drafted by the Orioles in the 14th round in 2013, has gone 6-for-15 in four games played at Camden Yards with a triple, two homers, five RBIs, seven runs scored and four walks.

Baltimore-native, infielder LaMonte Wade Jr. (St. Paul's School and the University of Maryland) played his first-ever MLB game in Baltimore last night, going 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs. With last night's game, Wade has now played a game in all 30 MLB stadiums.