O's game blog: The homestand begins

After their first winless road trip of the 2019 season, the Orioles return home tonight to Oriole Park for a seven-game homestand. They'll host Kansas City for three games and the Tampa Bay Rays for four starting Thursday night.

The Orioles (39-85) lost 13-7 in Boston on Sunday as the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep. The Orioles were swept for the 11th time this season.

The Orioles' trip included stops at New York (0-4) and Boston (0-3). According to STATS, LLC., it marked just the third winless road trip of at least seven games in Orioles history and first since April 1982 (0-7). The O's also had an 0-7 trip in May 1954. The Orioles had three 0-6 road trips last season.

The Orioles remaining opponents currently have a .513 winning percentage, marking the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the majors. The Orioles have 16 games remaining against teams within the AL East division.

The Birds' Hanser Alberto is fourth in the American League and ninth in the majors among qualifying hitters with a .318 batting average. In the AL, he is behind New York's DJ LeMahieu at .339, Houston's Michael Brantley at .335 and Rafael Devers of Boston at .332.

Since May 20, Alberto is hitting .342 with 16 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 28 RBIs and 34 runs scored. Alberto is hitting .407 (68-for-167) against left-handers this season, best in the majors among qualifying hitters. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last O's player to hit .400 or better in a season against left-handers was Mike Bordick in 1999 at .402.

Orioles lefty John Means (8-8, 3.76 ERA) is making his 27th appearance tonight. In five games in the second half, Means is 1-4 with an ERA of 8.34, allowing six earned runs twice, including his last outing against the Yankees. In that span, he's allowed seven homers in 22 2/3 innings, a .316 batting average and a .970 OPS.

Kansas City outfielder Bubba Starling and Means, who teamed together at Gardner-Edgerton High School in Gardner, Kan., just about 35 miles from Kauffman Stadium, are scheduled to face each other tonight for the first time in pro ball. They played together in their final two seasons of high school, then Starling signed with his hometown Royals as the fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft. Means turned down a chance to sign with Atlanta and pitched for Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, then went on to West Virginia University. Means isn't the only one his family playing pro ball; his brother ,Jake, who was drafted by the Royals in the 22nd round this year out of Indiana State, is currently playing for Rookie-level Burlington.

The Royals (44-80) have lost four of five and 13 of the last 17 games. They are 16-24 in series openers, 17-17 when their starter goes six or more innings and 5-52 when they score three runs or less.

Glenn Sparkman's six solid innings yesterday extended Kansas City's streak of quality starts to seven. During the streak, Royals starters have gone 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA and held the opposition to a .222 average.

On the farm: Double-A Bowie right-hander Michael Baumann has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for Aug. 12-18. He pitched a shutout for the Baysox last week and went 1-0 with seven strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in his one start. Baumann has appeared in 10 games for the Baysox since being promoted from Single-A Frederick on June 21 and owns a 3-2 record with a 1.86 ERA and 50 strikeouts over 53 1/3 innings. Baumann starts for Bowie at home tonight, with the Baysox three games behind first-place Erie with 15 left.

Transactions involving Triple-A Norfolk today: Outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. joins the club on a major league rehab assignment, pitcher Chandler Shepherd was activated after being optioned from Baltimore, pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis was activated after being outrighted and catcher Pedro Perez was reinstated from injured list. Also, catcher Austin Wynns selected to the Orioles' taxi squad. Right-handes Matt Wotherspoon and Josh Lucas were released from their Norfolk contracts.

With a win Sunday, the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds tied their franchise record for wins. The 1996 team went 83-59 and this year's club is 83-41. The Shorebirds are off tonight and three members from their team are here to visit with O's players and coaches. Pitchers Grayson Rodriguez and Drew Rom and infielder Adam Hall are here and we'll have more on their visit to Camden Yards in this space tomorrow morning.