O's game blog: Orioles host Yankees as homestand begins

After a 1-5 road trip and an off-day, the Orioles begin a six-day, seven-game homestand tonight at Oriole Park. They are looking to break a four-game losing streak as they host the Yankees to start a series that includes Saturday's day-night doubleheader. Toronto will be in Baltimore starting Monday for a three-game series.

While the Orioles are just 1-12 this season versus Toronto and 2-14 against Boston, they are 6-6 versus the Yankees. They won the season series in three straight years from New York, going a combined 33-24 from 2014-2016, before they went 7-12 last season. The Orioles are 2-4 at home and 4-2 on the road against New York.

The O's offense produced just 10 runs with a team batting average of .181 in the six games of the road trip, scoring two runs or less four times. They hit four homers and went 8-for-35 (.229) on the trip and were shutout twice.

The Orioles (37-90) have 35 games remaining in the 2018 season. They have lost six of seven, 11 of 13 and 15 of the last 19 games. They are 21-40 at home.

New York (79-47) is 9 1/2 games behind Boston for the American League East lead. But the Yankees hold the first AL wild card spot with a four-game lead over Oakland and eight-game lead on Seattle. The Yankees have won four of five and 11 of 16 games. The Yankees are 34-27 on the road and 30-26 in division games.

Right-hander Alex Cobb (4-15, 5.09 ERA) makes his 24th start for Baltimore. Cobb is coming off last Saturday's complete-game win at Cleveland. He gave up five hits and two runs on 100 pitches. It was his fourth career complete game and Cobb has thrown seven, seven and nine innings over his last three starts.

He continues as a pitcher on a good roll, allowing two or less earned runs in six of his last seven games. He has five straight quality starts with an ERA of 2.06. Over his last seven games, his ERA is 2.14.

Tonight, Cobb is looking for his first home win of 2018. He is 0-7 with a 5.03 ERA in eight starts at Camden Yards. The Orioles are 5-18 in his starts.

Yankees lefty CC Sabathia (7-4, 3.32 ERA) comes off the disabled list to start tonight. He's been out since Aug. 13 with right knee inflammation. In his last four starts before that, he pitched to an ERA of 2.33 with 12 walks and 29 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings. He's fanned 19 in 11 2/3 innings over his past two games.

Sabathia has his lowest ERA after 22 starts since 2011, when it was 2.62. He has 244 career wins to rank tied for 52nd all time. His next win ties Dennis Martinez at 245 victories. Sabathia has been tough early in his starts with an ERA of 2.05 in the first and second innings and 2.86 in the third. He allows an average against of .173 to lefty batters and .256 against right-handed hitters. In 43 career starts versus the Orioles, he is 19-11 with an ERA of 3.70.

Farm notes: Tonight, Double-A Bowie lefty Keegan Akin looks to tie the franchise record for wins in a season held by Brad Bergesen, who won 15 games for Bowie in the 2008 season. Bowie hosts Erie. Akin continues to lead the Eastern League in the pitching Triple Crown categories of wins, strikeouts and ERA.

Akin is 14-6 with a 2.77 ERA and 135 strikeouts over 130 innings. He is 6-0 with a 2.35 ERA in seven starts since his appearance in the Eastern League All-Star Game and is 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA in three starts prior against Erie.

Triple-A Norfolk hosts Durham tonight with lefty Donnie Hart (3-0, 1.82 ERA) as the listed starting pitcher. Of his 270 career pro appearances, 269 have come in relief. The Tides are tied with Scranton, with both teams two games behind Columbus and Indianapolis for a wild card spot.

Norfolk's Mike Yastrzemski has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, over which he's batted .324 (11-for-34) with three home runs, 10 RBIs and seven runs. Yastrzemski leads the Tides with 13 RBIs in August. Catcher Chance Sisco has hit safely in five of his last six games, batting .364 (8-for-22) with five runs scored and two RBIs.

Single-A Frederick's Cristian Alvarado threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings last night as the Keys beat Salem. He improved to 11-10 and he is now tied for the Carolina League wins lead. Tyler Erwin got his 17th save, converting his 11th straight save chance. Lefty Alex Wells (6-7, 3.57 ERA) pitches tonight at home versus Carolina.

Single-A Delmarva plays at Greensboro tonight with lefty DL Hall (2-7, 2.21 ERA) on the mound. Hall has boasted a 0.81 ERA since the All-Star break, allowing just four earned runs over his last 44 2/3 innings and holding opposing batters to a .164 average. Hall hasn't given up more than one earned run in an outing since June 2.