Orioles select Ortiz's contract (plus notes)

SEATTLE - The Orioles expanded their roster to 29 players today by selecting the contract of right-hander Luis Ortiz from Triple-A Norfolk.

The 40-man roster still has one open spot.

Ortiz, 22, was acquired from the Brewers with infielder Jonathan Villar and shortstop Jean Carmona in exchange for second baseman Jonathan Schoop. He went 2-1 with a 3.69 ERA in six starts with Norfolk, and his 31 2/3 innings raised his season total to 99 2/3.

Ortiz will become the 54th player used by the Orioles this season, tying the club record, and the 13th to make his major league debut, one short of the record set in 1955.

The 28 pitchers used by the Orioles would be the most in club history. The 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2016 teams used 27.

Ortiz has been assigned uniform No. 59.

Alex Cobb's streak of quality starts ended at six games when he allowed five runs over 5 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays on Aug. 29. He faced the Mariners on June 27 and surrendered five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Cobb is 2-4 with a 7.14 ERA and 1.711 WHIP in eight career starts against the Mariners and 1-2 with a 6.29 ERA and 1.521 WHIP in four starts at Safeco Field.

Robinson Cano is 8-for-26 (.308) with one double and three home runs lifetime against Cobb. Mike Zunino is 5-for-10 with one double, one home run and nine RBIs.

Left-hander Wade LeBlanc has allowed one run over 13 innings in his last two starts. He faced the Orioles on June 27 and gave up three earned runs (four total) and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

LeBlanc has a career 4.58 ERA and 1.220 WHIP in five games (three starts) against the Orioles over 19 2/3 innings. Small sample sizes include Chris Davis being 2-for-5 with a home run and Trey Mancini being 2-for-4 with a home run.

Left-handers hit .297 against LeBlanc over his career and right-handers hit .251.

Davis is the Orioles' nominee for the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award, the annual recognition of a player who best represents the game of baseball through "extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

The Orioles will present Davis with his award prior to their game on Sept. 11. The overall winner will be announced during the World Series.

The winner will be selected among the group of nominees via Major League Baseball's blue ribbon panel. And beginning at 12 p.m. Wednesday and continuing until 12 p.m. on Sept. 18, fans are allowed to vote for the overall winner mlb.com/clemente21. Their vote will count as one for the winner.

Davis earned the Orioles 2018 nomination due to his family's ongoing work with many charities in and around the Baltimore community, including the University of Maryland Children's Hospital, Casey Cares, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. (BARCS), Christian Youth Athletics, and the OriolesREACH Gameday Experience Program. He also earned the distinction last year.

Single-A Frederick left-hander Alex Wells was chosen as the Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August and short-season Single-A Aberdeen shortstop Adam Hall is Player of the Month.

Wells posted a 1.97 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in five starts for the Keys. Opponents in the Carolina League batted .188. Wells walked only four batters in 32 innings.

Hall batted .390/.462/.524 in 23 games. He had a 19-game hitting streak.

On this date in 1982, Jim Palmer tossed the last of his four one-hitters to defeat the Twins 3-0 at Memorial Stadium. Palmer retired the first 17 batters before Gary Gaetti singled in the fifth inning.