O's game blog: Orioles look to snap losing streak at Houston

The Orioles tonight will try and turn around a slide that has seen them fall into third place for the first time all year. To get a victory tonight, they'll have to win a game started by a former Cy Young winner.

The Orioles have lost five in a row, seven of nine and 11 of 14 games. They are 3-10 in their last 13 games decided by one or two runs. They are 10-14 on the road.

Houston hosts the Orioles in the second game of the series after beating the Orioles 2-0 last night. Right-hander Joe Musgrove and two relievers teamed on a seven-hitter and the Orioles went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. They loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth but could not score.

In getting shut out for the second time in three games, the O's have scored just three runs on 15 hits in those games, going a combined 2-for-16 with RISP.

Orioles batting notes:

* Chris Davis is 2-for-28 his past seven games with 14 strikeouts. Before this stretch he homered five times in five games.

* Seth Smith is 1-for-17 his past five games.

* Welington Castillo is 1-for-16 his last four games after batting .439 during a nine-game hitting streak.

* Manny Machado had two doubles last night for the first time since May 27, 2016 at Cleveland. Before producing two doubles in that game, Machado had two doubles total in his previous 22 games. Machado hit .224 in April and is batting .226 in May.

It is a matchup of left-handers on the mound tonight when Wade Miley (1-2, 2.59 ERA) faces Dallas Keuchel (7-0, 1.84 ERA) who returns from the disabled list. He was on the DL with a pinched nerve in his neck.

Miley gave up three unearned runs over seven innings on Sunday versus Toronto. He has four quality starts this year and the team is 5-4 in his nine games, although Miley is 0-2 his past seven starts since getting his only win on April 14.

Miley is 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA in five road starts. In 94 career road games, he is 29-30 with an ERA of 3.94.

With his start on April 9, Miley passed the 1,000 mark for career innings pitched. He has surpassed the 200 innings threshold twice in his career (2013-2014). Miley has eclipsed 190 innings four times in his career, from 2012-2015, when he pitched 792 1/3 total innings.

Keuchel has thrown seven innings or more seven times in nine starts with seven quality starts and Houston is 8-1 in his nine games. He has allowed zero or one earned run six times.

The 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner, Keuchel went 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA. In four home starts this season, he is 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA, allowing three runs over 28 2/3 innings.

Both of these pitchers have been excellent pitching with runners in scoring position. Miley allows an average of .186, and when pitching with two outs and RISP, that number drops to .100 (2-for-20). Keuchel allows an average of .138, and with two outs that drops to .071 (1-for-14).

All Orioles uniformed personnel will wear ripstop woodland camouflage-designed jerseys and caps this weekend. The jerseys and caps feature five stars to represent the five branches of the military. The authenticated, game-worn, autographed jerseys and caps worn at home on Memorial Day will be auctioned to benefit the Orioles Charitable Foundation and the Fort Meade Alliance Foundation.