Orioles one and done tonight in Texas

I was amused yesterday when I received a question on Twitter regarding the Orioles' travel roster for tonight's game against the Rangers.

It does feel like a spring training road game.

Manager Buck Showalter left some personnel back in Baltimore, including assistant hitting coach Mark Quinn and an extra athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach. Most of the starting pitchers avoided the trip because they obviously wouldn't be needed and why drag them along?

The same goes for reliever Brad Brach, who's pitched on back-to-back days and worked two innings yesterday in an 11-6 win over the Blue Jays. Take a break, Brad.

Talk about playing with a short roster. Manny Machado's suspension is just the tip of the iceberg.

This game shouldn't be necessary. The April 17 postponement was done prematurely. I read the tweet while still in bed. The rain stopped by the scheduled first pitch and the sun peeked through the clouds. Birds were chirping outside my hotel window.

I drove to the airport in a downpour early the next morning, but the teams could have played the previous afternoon.

The Orioles made a one-day stop in Cleveland back on June 13, 2002. I was in the press box and watched Chris Magruder hit a walk-off triple off reliever Willis Roberts in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Indians a 2-1 victory.

Ricky Gutierrez strained his groin muscle while scoring the winning run. Not from the excitement. It was his trip around the bases.

Jason Johnson held the Indians to one run and three hits over eight innings, and Rick Bauer and Buddy Groom combined for a scoreless ninth.

I also remember infielder Luis Lopez yelling at the media - which consisted of me and maybe one other person - to get out of the clubhouse if we were just going to stand around. Because Luis Lopez should be mouthing off.

Kevin Gausman is still chasing that elusive first win. He lasted only three innings in his previous start in Boston, allowing six runs and seven hits and throwing 71 pitches.

Gausman is 0-1 with a 3.68 ERA in three career games (two starts) versus the Rangers. He's permitted six runs and 15 hits in 14 2/3 innings.

In his only start in Texas, Gausman allowed four runs and nine hits over 6 2/3 innings.

Prince Fielder is 4-for-8 with a home run against Gausman.

Left-hander Derek Holland is 5-5 with a 5.14 ERA in 13 starts. He's gone through a couple of rough stretches, allowing a combined 16 runs (15 earned) and 19 hits in five innings on May 5 and 10, and 10 runs (nine earned) and nine hits in 8 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

In between came four quality starts in a row.

Left-handers are hitting .196 against Holland and right-handers are hitting .274. He's 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA in five home starts and 2-4 with a 6.31 ERA in eight road starts.

Holland is 5-2 with a 2.94 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) against the Orioles. Mark Trumbo is 14-for-45 with three doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs. He's an exception.

Chris Davis is 1-for-11 with eight strikeouts. Matt Wieters is 2-for-18 with two home runs. J.J. Hardy is 2-for-14.