O's game blog: O's look to end losing streak and Cleveland's win streak in Game 2

The Orioles have lost four in a row and been outscored 30-15 during the season's longest losing streak. Cleveland has won six in a row and outscored their opponents 36-14 during their win streak.

After losing their homestand opener 3-2 to Cleveland last night, the O's could use a win tonight, which would end both streaks.

Cleveland's win streak is not even its longest of this year. The Guardians won nine in a row from May 17-26.

At 50-26 (.658), Cleveland has the best win percentage in the American League and leads second-place Minnesota by a season-high eight games in the American League Central. Their record is second-best in the majors to Philadelphia at 52-26 (.667).

The Guardians are 11-6 this year against AL East teams, going 1-2 versus New York, 5-2 against Boston, 4-2 versus Toronto and 1-0 against Baltimore. 

Cleveland is off to its best 76-game start since the 1999 team had an identical 50-26 mark at this point. Cleveland has won 23 of 32, 26 of 36 and 30 of the club's last 44 games since May 4. The Guardians are 24 games over the .500 mark for the first time since ending 2019 at 93-69 (+24).

Cleveland has won five of its last eight matchups against the Orioles since the start of last season, including taking three of four at Oriole Park.

They are 5-0-1 in season series versus the Orioles since 2017, boasting a 28-14 (.667) mark in that span.

Cleveland's Andrés Giménez is hitting .345 (10-for-29) with three homers in eight career games at Camden Yards. Third baseman José Ramírez has recorded 14 extra-base hits (seven doubles, two triples and five home runs) in 22 career games at Baltimore.

The Guardians are 24-17 on the road and they are 42-8 when scoring four runs or more. They won with just three runs last night and are 8-18 when plating three runs or fewer. 

The Orioles (49-29, .628) begin play tonight two games behind the Yankees for the AL East lead. Baltimore has the third-best AL record. 

The Orioles, who have scored four runs over the last three games, have lost four in a row for the first time since Sept. 12-15, 2023. They had their club-record 22-game home run streak snapped last night as they dropped to 16-10 in series openers this year.

A few O's hitters notes:

* Austin Hays has reached in 10 straight starts since June 2 (with a .429 OBP) and hit safely in six straight starts since June 11, batting .348. He's recorded a hit in nine of 10 starts since June 2 (.351 average).

* Gunnar Henderson leads the major leagues in bWAR (5.6) and fWAR (5.4), and also in runs (66). His 24 home runs are second in the bigs (to the Yankee's Aaron Judge's 28); ranks among AL leaders in slugging (second at .596), extra-base hits (second at 44), total bases (second at 180), OPS (fourth, .973), walks (fourth, 43), OBP (fifth, .377), and RBIs (tied for fifth, 53).

* Ryan Mountcastle has hit in seven of eight starts since June 15 (.314/.342/.429) and had a season-high-tying six-game hitting streak from June 15-21. He's homered five times in 22 games in June after not going deep in his final 17 games in May.

* Adley Rutschman has four doubles and a home run in the last 10 games since June 14 (.350/.438/.525). He ranks among AL leaders in hits (fourth, 92), batting average (fourth, .302), RBIs (tied for fifth, 53), and total bases (ninth, 146). The most RBIs by a primary catcher in a single season in O's history is 91.

* Anthony Santander leads the majors with 11 home runs this month, the first Oriole with 11 or more homers in a calendar month since August 2017 (when Manny Machado had 12). His 81 homers since the start of 2022 lead the majors' switch hitters, while his 161 extra-base hits (78 doubles, two triples, 81 homers) rank second behind Cleveland's Ramírez with 178.

On the mound tonight, O's lefty Cole Irvin (6-3, 3.45 ERA) makes his 13th start. His ERA is 6.97 over his last two versus the Braves and Yankees. In those games he gave up eight earned runs and 14 hits over 10 1/3 innings. 

Baltimore starting pitchers have now gone a season-long seven straight games without a quality start, and posted a 7.07 ERA in this span.

Lefty Logan T. Allen (8-3, 5.23 ERA) - a different Logan Allen, who pitched in three games for the Orioles in 2022, is with the Diamondbacks - starts for the visitors. The Guardians are 9-6 in his starts this year. Over his past five, his ERA is 5.92 and he has allowed a .918 OPS against in that stretch.