O's game blog: The search for runs continues tonight at Kauffman Stadium

This feels like I'm writing a nightly update on the Orioles and their runs scored - or maybe we should call it a lack of runs scored. Over the last five games, the Orioles have scored two, one, one, five and two runs. They've scored 11 runs total in those five games and 35 runs the last 12 games. Yep, less than three per game. The 2013 Orioles averaged 4.6 runs per game and the 2014 version is at 4.02 right now. The O's have scored 157 runs on the year, ahead of only Houston (145) in the American League. We are probably beating a dead horse here. No, by now it's probably way beyond that, but the team doesn't do well in plate discipline stats and despite the daily protestations here, that is not likely to change too much. Right now, the Orioles rank first in the AL in chasing pitches outside the strike zone at 33.9 percent and last in the league in walk rate at 5.9 percent. They are still in first place, though, and they continue to excel in the close games. Now 10-3 in one-run games, the Orioles are 10-1 in their last 11 games decided by one or two runs. They face an old friend tonight in Kansas City when Chris Tillman (3-2, 3.97 ERA) faces Jeremy Guthrie (2-2, 4.80 ERA). Guthrie has allowed four runs or more in five of his eight 2014 starts. He leads the AL in homers allowed with 11 and has given up six over his last three starts with an ERA of 5.79 in that stretch. Tillman has struggled in the early innings on the season with an ERA of 7.88 and eight walks in eight first innings and an ERA of 6.75 in the second innings of his starts. Since beginning the year with an ERA of 0.84 over his first three starts, Tillman has an ERA of 6.49 over his last five. In that time, he has walked 16 batters over 26 1/3 innings and has pitched 5 2/3 or fewer innings four times. Tillman has been bothered by a groin injury and maybe that contributed to those stats. Anyone concerned about the O's right-hander as he takes the mound at K.C. tonight? Tillman's velo: There has been some talk about Tillman and diminished velocity this year. He is averaging 90.6 mph on his fastball in 2014. It was 91.6 last season. Right now, I don't see a red flag,but some fans have brought the velo up a few times. On tonight's MASN telecast, Jim Palmer said Tillman's velocity has been off since his first start of the year against Boston. He is right about that. This Fangraphs chart shows his average velocity was 93 mph in that game and has been in the 90-91 range since then. Props for Harvey: Right-hander Hunter Harvey, the Orioles' 2013 first-round pick, earned the No. 1 spot on the latest Baseball America prospect hot sheet. The publication takes a look at minor league players over the last seven days. BA said of Harvey: "Harvey has profile top-of-the-rotation stuff - low 90s heat with a peak velocity of 95 mph and a sharp breaking ball - and to prove it, he leads the South Atlantic League with 45 strikeouts and a .147 opponent average." Click here to see more.