O's game blog: Orioles need victory to avoid winless trip

The Orioles have never been swept in a four-game series at Minnesota and need a win today to keep it that way. A loss would make this the 10th time this year where the Orioles were swept in a series of three or more games. They've been swept at Houston, at Boston, at Detroit, at Anaheim, at Oakland, versus Washington, at Toronto (four games), versus Boston and at home against Seattle (four games).

A loss today would extend the Orioles' current losing streak to six and would complete a winless road trip at 0-6. The Orioles (24-64) have eight losing streaks this year of at least five games and four of at least seven games.

The Orioles offense continues to be among baseball's worst. On the five games of this trip, they've scored 11 runs on 37 hits and are 4-for-38 with runners in scoring position.

Coming off a good outing Wednesday at Philadelphia, right-hander Alex Cobb (2-10, 6.53 ERA) will make his 16th start as an Oriole today. At Citizens Bank Park, Cobb went 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and three runs on 99 pitches. It was Cobb's seventh quality start of the year and his second in three starts.

But Cobb took a 3-2 loss in Philly. After that game, he talked about how he has to now re-evaluate how he sees his own progress with his record what it is and the Orioles 3-12 in his starts.

"It's to the point of the year, with where we are in the standings, (and the) individual production that we've had, we haven't lived up to where we want to be," he said. "To really take a step back and not be results-oriented. I want to say take it almost spring training-like. We have to do whatever it takes for each and every one of us to get better moving forward. When you get hung up on results you let that cloud the process that is going on to get to make yourself better.

"I don't want it to be framed for any fans or any front office or coaching staff that we are not trying to go out there and win ballgames. We absolutely are, every single night. But we also need to not be so results-oriented. And take the small progressions that we're making and get better. You know, if we want to compete later on this year or next year, we have to get better, each and every one of us."

Cobb has allowed five runs or more seven times, including in three of his past five games. He is 2-6 with a 6.54 ERA in 10 road starts.

Right-hander Jake Odorizzi (3-6, 4.57 ERA), Cobb's former teammate in Tampa Bay, gets the start for Minnesota. This will be his 19th start. Over his last two, he's allowed just two runs and seven hits in 11 innings. He's fanned 97 over 90 2/3 innings for the season, but has yielded 15 home runs. He is 2-3 with a 5.31 ERA in eight home starts.

In 19 career games, 18 starts versus the Orioles, Odorizzi is 5-4 with a 4.42 ERA and 1.334 WHIP. He was the opening day starter this year in Baltimore. He threw six scoreless on two hits on March 29 with two walks and seven strikeouts on 93 pitches.