O's game blog: Zimmermann on the mound, plus farm notes

Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann (2-3, 5.15 ERA) will try and be a stopper tonight when the Orioles host Minnesota in Game 2 of a three-game series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Orioles have lost 14 in a row, which ties for the second-longest run in team history with a 14-game streak from Aug. 11-25, 1954. The only longer stretch was when the 1988 team began the season 0-21 from April 4-28.

The Twins won the series opener 3-2 in 10 innings on Monday afternoon, scoring twice in the 10th on a wild pitch and on Jorge Polanco's solo homer. The Orioles pulled within 3-2 on DJ Stewart's RBI double, but he was left on third base as the game ended and the losing streak rolled on. Right-hander Jorge López provided the Orioles a quality start, allowing one run and five hits over six innings. For the game, O's pitching fanned 14 and walked three.

Zimmermann is coming off Thursday's solid outing at Chicago when he gave up six hits and a run over five innings on 82 pitches. But the Orioles are just 1-7 when he gets the start. Zimmermann is 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA in four home games.

Right-hander Michael Pineda (3-2, 2.62 ERA) will make his ninth start. The Twins are 4-4 in his outings. For the year, he has allowed 32 hits, including nine home runs, over 44 2/3 innings with 12 walks and 47 strikeouts. His WHIP is 0.985 and he averages 2.4 walks and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings. On Wednesday, he got the win versus the Orioles, allowing three hits and one run over six innings and 101 pitches.

O's hitter notes:

* Shortstop Freddy Galvis is hitting .271/.331/.566 (35-for-129) with nine home runs, nine doubles, one triple, 21 runs scored, 18 RBIs, and 10 walks in his last 38 games.

* Outfielder Anthony Santander has hit safely in 10 of 11 games since returning from the injured list on May 21. He is slashing .341/.356/.568 (15-for-44) with seven doubles and a home run during this stretch.

* First baseman/designated hitter Trey Mancini leads the team with 69 hard-hit balls (exit velocity 95 mph or more) and 21 barrels. His 21 barrels are tied for ninth in the majors. Mancini recorded his 15th multi-hit game yesterday and that total leads O's batters.

* Outfielder/first baseman Ryan Mountcastle connected on his fifth home run of the season Monday versus Minnesota. It went out with an exit velocity of 109.3 mph and a distance of 410 feet, and the solo shot was the third hardest-hit ball and tied for the third-longest home run of his career. He collected his first career triple May 29 at Chicago. He had 10 career triples in the minors.

* Infielder/utility man Stevie Wilkerson has gone 0-for-17 in his last six games after batting .368 (7-for-19) with two doubles and three multi-hit games in his first seven games since having his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk on May 18.

A few farm notes: Norfolk (8-15) begins a 12-game road trip tonight at Durham. The Tides are 5-1 since beginning the year at 3-14. Right-hander Dean Kremer makes the start tonight with Zac Lowther scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Mac Sceroler on Thursday.

Tides infielder Mason McCoy has hit safely in 17 of his 21 games with an at-bat this season, and he leads Tides batters in hits (23), runs scored (11) and total bases (40). McCoy has recorded six multi-hit games, which is tied with Austin Wynns and Brett Cumberland for most on the team

Yesterday, catcher Chance Sisco was optioned to Norfolk from Baltimore, Wynns had his contract selected by the Orioles, lefty Josh Rogers was released, right-hander Evan Phillips was placed on the Norfolk injured list and shortstop Richie Martin was transferred to the Baltimore 60-day injured list. Today, outfielder J.C. Encarnacion was transferred from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk. His first appearance will be his Triple-A debut.

Double-A Bowie (17-5) begins a six-game series tonight at Hartford with lefty Cameron Bishop on the mound. Grayson Rodriguez is set to start tomorrow and make his Double-A debut with Ofelky Peralta going on Thursday, Mike Baumann on Friday, DL Hall on Saturday and Gray Fenter in Sunday's series finale.

Bowie leads its league in runs (139) and home runs (32). The Baysox feature three players in the league top 10 in OPS with Adley Rutschman fourth at 1.039, Patrick Dorrian fifth at 1.02) and Terrin Varva 10th at .917.

High Single-A Aberdeen (15-7) begins a home series tonight with Hickory at Ripken Stadium. Aberdeen has won six of seven and leads its league in on-base percentage (.360), stolen bases (36) and team ERA (3.28). Infielders Jordan Westburg and J.D. Mundy just got promoted to the team and are set to make their Aberdeen debuts tonight. The IronBirds went 4-0 with two rainouts at Brooklyn last week, outscoring the Cyclones 28-5 in the four victories.

Low Single-A Delmarva (17-6) begins a series tonight at Fredericksburg. The Shorebirds lead their league in batting, on base percentage, slugging, OPS, homers and runs, and are averaging 7.6 runs per game. Today, the Shorebirds added first baseman T.T. Bowens, infielder Greg Cullen and pitcher Jake Zebron.