O's game blog: Yovani Gallardo takes the mound in series opener

NEW YORK - The Orioles are out to break a unique 10-game losing streak tonight, one that dates back to the 2013 season. The Orioles have lost the first game in their last 10 series at Yankee Stadium.

So, yes, a win tonight in the series opener would be a welcome end to that strange streak.

The Orioles are 5-5 against the Yankees this season, but just 1-3 at Yankee Stadium. They scored just six total runs in the four games here from July 18-21. The O's lost the first three games of that series by scores of 2-1, 7-1 and 5-0 before they took the fourth game by a 4-1 score behind Chris Tillman.

The Orioles had just 14 hits in the first three games of that series and hit .180 (23-for-128) in the series with just one home run. They went 3-for-22 (.136) with runners in scoring position.

While the Orioles have a 26-18 record against New York since June 21, 2014, they have lost 11 of their past 15 games in this ballpark.

On the mound tonight is right-hander Yovani Gallardo (4-5, 5.08 ERA), who pitches against right-hander Luis Cessa (3-0, 4.01 ERA) to start this three-game series.

Over his past four starts, Gallardo is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA and .237 average against. He took a loss Sunday against Houston when he pitched seven innings on 103 pitches and allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned).

After pitching six innings or more in just two of his first 10 starts, Gallardo has gone that far or more in five of his past seven outings. In 10 road starts he is 2-4 with a 6.14 ERA.

In his only 2016 start versus the Yankees, he went seven innings at Yankee Stadium on July 20, allowing five hits and four runs on 86 pitches.

Cessa has made nine appearances, but just one start. That was in his last game Saturday against the Angels. He pitched six scoreless innings on three hits. He walked one and fanned five, throwing 85 pitches.

In four games at home, he is 1-0 with a 7.27 ERA. Left-handed batters hit .184 against him and right-handed batters are hitting .241.

In his time this year with Triple-A Scranton, the 24-year-old Mexico native went 6-3 with a 3.03 ERA over 15 games. In 77 1/3 innings, he gave up 66 hits with 23 walks and 69 strikeouts along with a batting average against of .235.

The Orioles (70-57) begin play tonight one game back of American League East co-leading Toronto and Boston. New York (65-61) is in fourth place, 5 ½ games back of the leaders.

The Orioles have won three of four, but have lost 17 of their last 29 over a longer stretch. They are 26-21 in AL East games. The Yankees have won nine of 14 and are 13-9 in August and 19-27 in division games.