O's game blog: Orioles need a win to avoid sweep at Texas

It has been a pretty miserable road trip and a bad stretch of losing for the Orioles. The O's are just 1-5 so far on this seven-game road trip to Kansas City and Texas, which ends today at Globe Life Park.

In 2013 and 2014, the Orioles went 11-3 against Texas, going 5-1 in Texas. But this year they are 1-5 against the Rangers. A loss today and the Orioles would be swept three in a row at Texas for the first time since April 4-6, 2011.

On the mound today, Miguel Gonzalez (9-10, 4.78 ERA) makes his 25th start of the season and faces Texas lefty Derek Holland (1-1, 4.73), who will be making his fourth start.

Over his last two starts, Gonzalez is 0-2 with an ERA of 9.65. In 12 starts since returning from the disabled list in late June, he is 4-6 with a 6.46 ERA. Over the last three months, Gonzalez has ERAs of 5.75 in June, 5.00 in July and 6.84 in August.

Gonzalez has worked 5 1/3 or fewer innings in five of his last six and 10 of his past 13 starts.

Holland came off the 60-day DL on Aug. 19. He suffered a left shoulder injury in his first start of 2015 on April 10. Over his past eight MLB starts, dating to last season, he is 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA.

In the small sample size of his three 2015 starts, lefty batters hit .375 against him and right-handed batters are hitting .311. In seven career games (six starts) versus Baltimore, he is 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA. Current Orioles are batting .196/.241/.314 against him.

With the loss last night, the Orioles matched last year's loss total at 63-66 to 96-66, and Texas matched last season's win total at 67-95 to 67-61.

The Orioles lead the majors with 40 outfield assists. Adam Jones leads the team and is tied for third in the majors with 13 outfield assists. Dariel Alvarez notched the first outfield assist of his career on Friday in Texas. According to FanGraphs, Orioles outfielders are tied for fourth in the American League with nine defensive runs saved (DRS).

The Orioles have been swept in three-game series three times this year: at Toronto on April 21-23, at Minnesota on July 6-8 and at the Yankees on July 21-23. They were swept four straight at home by Minnesota on Aug. 20-23.