O's game blog: Zac Lowther faces Red Sox

After losing 7-1 last night to start a three-game series, the Orioles are back at Fenway Park this afternoon. They play the Boston Red Sox in the second game of a three-game series and six-game road trip.

In the last four games, the Orioles have scored just two, three, three and one run. That is nine runs on 26 hits in that span. Austin Hays' solo homer in the second inning was the only O's run last night as they were held to four hits - the Hays homer and three other singles.

The Orioles (47-100) reached the 100-loss mark for the fifth time in team history. The 2018 club lost 115 games and they lost 108 in 2019. The 1988 Orioles lost 107 and the 1954 club lost 100 games in a 154-game season.

Last night's loss was the club's sixth in seven games. The Orioles are 24-49 on the road, 15-33 in series-opening games, 6-10 in September and 6-8 over their past 14 games.

The O's have allowed 64 runs over the last seven games, giving up seven or more five times in that span.

Boston had lost six of 10 before winning the series opener. Bobby Dalbec hit a solo homer. It was No. 23, his fifth homer in the last eight games and 12th in his past 28 games. Hunter Renfroe's three-run double in the sixth gave the Red Sox a 7-1 lead and they won by that six-run margin.

Boston now holds the No. 1 American League wild card in a very close three-team race among AL East clubs.

.564 - Boston (84-65)
.561 - New York (83-65)
.558 - Toronto (82-65)

Since Aug. 20, Boston is 15-11 in games and 5-2-1 in series. The Red Sox are 35-18 (.660) in their last 53 home games after beginning the season 10-11 at Fenway Park. They have scored 138 runs and hit 33 homers in their last 18 home games (7.7 runs per game).

Boston pitchers have a 1.88 ERA (15 earned runs/71 2/3 innings) in their last eight games, allowing three earned runs or fewer in each, the club's longest streak of the season. Red Sox relievers have given up two earned runs in 30 1/3 innings (0.59 ERA) in their last seven games, including one earned run in their last 24 innings.

Baltimore lefty Zac Lowther (0-2, 9.92 ERA) gets today's start. Two starts ago, he allowed just three hits and one run over six innings versus Kansas City. But in his last game on Sunday at home against Toronto, he gave up seven runs over two innings on 53 pitches. The Orioles are 0-3 in his three 2021 starts and Lowther is 0-2 with an ERA of 13.06 in those games.

Right-hander Nick Pivetta (9-7, 4.55 ERA) will make his 28th start for Boston. The Red Sox are 15-12 in his outings, but have lost the last four. In those four games, Pivetta has pitched to an ERA of 7.31, allowing a .303 batting average against and OPS of .882. In 13 home games, he is 4-2 with a 5.60 ERA. In three starts on the season against the Orioles, he is 3-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.167 WHIP.

The O's Ramón Urías has recorded exactly one hit in 11 of his last 12 games and has reached base safely in all 12 games. His .359 OBP leads AL rookies (minimum 280 plate appearances) and is the third-highest among all major league rookies.

Center fielder Cedric Mullins has hit safely in 12 of 13 games against Boston this season, slashing .370/.424/.574 (20-for-54). Trey Mancini is a career .321/.383/.550 (42-for-131) hitter in 34 games at Fenway Park.