O's game blog: Trying to avoid a series sweep in Oakland

OAKLAND - This was not the way to start a road trip. The Orioles lost 3-2 at Oakland on Monday night when they allowed two unearned runs and were held to just three hits. They got blasted 16-2 last night, allowing six homers and a 10-run inning in the worst loss of the year.

The Orioles have no series sweeps this year, but they have been swept six times, most recently at home by the Boston Red Sox.

The Orioles have matched a career-high with seven straight losses. The current run of defeats has seen them lose three times by two runs or less. But they've also lost games by scores of 12-3, 13-2 and 16-2. They matched a season-high for runs allowed last night. Minnesota beat the Orioles 16-7 on April 20 in Game 2 of a doubleheader. The Orioles have allowed 10 runs or more 13 times.

While the pitchers were getting torched last night, the hitters were not doing much at-bat either. In this series, the Orioles have scored just four runs on seven hits, going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. They've scored two runs in four of the last five games. O's batters have produced just 14 runs the last five games and 38 in the last 13.

On the mound today the Orioles are set to start right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis (1-1, 5.40 ERA). He is expected to pitch as an opener and throw only an inning or two before turning the game over to lefty Josh Rogers (0-0, 7.88 ERA).

Right-hander Chris Bassitt (3-3, 3.68 ERA) gets the start for the A's. Over his past five starts, he is 1-2 with a 5.88 ERA. But despite those recent numbers, Bassitt's .213 batting average against is the 10th-lowest in the American League (min. 50 innings). But 22 of the 46 hits he has allowed have gone for extra bases, including eight home runs.

He has two wins in his last three day game outings. Bassitt started his career going 0-9 over his first 17 day game appearances. In five day game starts in 2019, he is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA.

Bassitt had Tommy John surgery on May 6, 2016. In two career games, both starts, against Baltimore, he is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA.

Lefty batters are hitting .200 with an OPS of .757 against him and right-handers are batting .226/.630. He has allowed a batting average of only .178 when pitching with runners in scoring position. He has given up just one hit in 17 at-bats (.059) when pitching with RISP and two outs.