O's game blog: Wei-Yin Chen on mound in series opener at Seattle

Looking to get the Orioles rotation pointed back in the right direction, left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (5-6, 3.32 ERA) takes the mound tonight against the Seattle Mariners. It's the opener of a three-game series at Safeco Field.

From May 25 to July 26, Chen allowed three or fewer runs for 11 consecutive starts. But in his past two starts against Detroit and Oakland, he has given up 14 hits and nine runs over 8 1/3 innings, including three homers.

Chen before All-Star break: Went 4-5 with 2.78 ERA and .235 average against in 17 starts
Chen after the All-Star break: Is 1-1 with 6.30 ERA and .353 average against in four starts

While Ubaldo Jimenez pitched eight scoreless innings on Saturday night at Anaheim, Kevin Gausman and Miguel Gonzalez gave up 10 runs in 10 1/3 innings in the other two games of the series against the Angels.

Over the last 10 games, Orioles starting pitchers have an ERA of 6.09 and have pitched less than six innings seven times, with just three quality starts. The Orioles' 4.28 rotation ERA for the season ranks eighth in the AL.

Seattle's starter tonight is left-hander Vidal Nuno (0-0, 2.88 ERA). He has made 19 appearances and one start this season. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on Tuesday at Colorado. Nuno was acquired by Seattle on June 3 along with first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo from Arizona in exchange for catcher Welington Castillo, right-hander Dominic Leone and minor leaguers Gabby Guerrero and Jack Reinheimer.

In parts of three major league seasons with the Yankees (2013-2014), Diamondbacks (2014-2015), and Mariners (2015), Nuno has combined for a 3-15 record and a 3.99 ERA in 58 games, 32 starts.

The Orioles face hot-hitting, former Oriole Nelson Cruz tonight. Cruz is working on a 19-game hitting streak during which he is batting .422 (35-for-83), with six doubles, 12 homers and 16 RBIs. He has at least one extra-base hit in nine consecutive games. Ken Griffey Jr. holds the Seattle team record, 10 games in a row from July 19-29, 1993.

Cruz has hit seven homers his last nine games and has 12 in 23 games since the All-Star break. Cruz is 5-for-10 in three games versus the O's this year, with a double, a homer and three RBIs. He faces a left-hander tonight. This season against southpaws, Cruz is batting .390 with a .750 slugging percentage and 1.215 OPS.

Minors moves: In the Orioles minor leagues today, right-handed reliever Jon Keller was promoted from Single-A Frederick to Double-A Bowie. Keller, 23, moves to the Baysox after going 3-4 with four saves and a 3.82 ERA over 30 games with the Keys. He was ranked as the club's No. 13 prospect by Baseball America after the 2014 season.

In other moves today, pitcher Williams Louico moved from Frederick to Single-A Delmarva while pitcher Stefan Crichton goes from Delmarva to Frederick. Left-hander Sean Bierman goes to Frederick from Bowie. Outfielder Brenden Webb was reinstated from the disabled list and released. Drafted in Round 30 in 2009, Webb was batting .261 in 80 games with the Keys.