O's game blog: Wojciechowski faces New York

After allowing five homers in a 9-6 loss to the New York Yankees last night, the Orioles host them again tonight in the second of a three-game series. The Orioles are 2-11 against New York in 2019 with 10 straight losses. They've lost 13 straight against the Yankees at Camden Yards.

Jonathan Villar became the fifth player in Orioles history to hit for the cycle last night, and the first since outfielder Félix Pié on Aug. 14, 2009 against the Los Angeles Angels. It marked the third cycle in Oriole Park history, all of them accomplished by Orioles. Villar's cycle marked the second time this year that a switch-hitter hit for the cycle, the first coming from Minnesota's Jorge Polanco, who did it on April 5 at Philadelphia. Villar and Pié join Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr. and Aubrey Huff as the only players in team history to hit for the cycle.

Meanwhile, Villar needs five home runs to mark the eighth time in O's history that a player has totaled 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season. It would mark the first 20/20 season by an Oriole since Manny Machado (35 HRs/20 SBs) accomplished the feat in 2015.

On the mound tonight, right-hander Asher Wojciechowski (2-4, 4.15 ERA) will make his seventh start for Baltimore. In his most recent one, he gave up four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings last Thursday against Toronto. In his two previous games, he has totaled 14 1/3 innings, allowing just four hits and two runs with three walks and 16 strikeouts against the Red Sox and Angels. In four home games (three starts) he is 1-2 with a 3.50 ERA.

Wojciechowski will try to slow a New York team that has battered Orioles pitching this season. In going 11-2 against the O's, Yankees batters are hitting .296/.381/.609 with 41 homers and 95 runs. In going 8-0 at Oriole Park, they've batted .318/.394/.696 with 32 homers and a team OPS of 1.090.

The 32 homers are a major league record for most homers in one ballpark in one year by a visiting team. That broke the previous record set by the Milwaukee Braves, who hit 29 at Cincinnati's Crosley Field in 1957. The Yankees record for one year against an opponent is 48 in 1956 versus the Kansas City A's.

The Yankees have won six straight, their majors-best fourth winning streak of at least six games on the year. Their season high is eight in a row. The Yankees are 16-8 since the All-Star break and own a majors-best 32-12 record since June 15, 50-23 since May 12, and 65-29 since April 19.

The Orioles (38-74) are 2-3 on this homestand and 17-39 at Oriole Park. Overall they have won seven of 13 and are 10-8 the last 18 games, and 16-16 over the past 32.

Some minor league movement today:

* Catcher Brett Cumberland - moves from Single-A Frederick to Double-A Bowie.
* Left-hander Brian Gonzalez - moves from Triple-A Norfolk to Bowie.
* Right-hander Tim Naughton - moves from Bowie to Frederick.
* Catcher Stuart Levy - goes on the Bowie injured list.

With the minor league seasons heading for the home stretch, four Orioles teams are in first place or very close. Bowie is 30-13, but with a record that good, still trails Erie by two games in its division in the Eastern League. Single-A Delmarva is in first in the second half at 27-16. In the New York-Penn League, short-season Single-A Aberdeen is a half-game out of first at 28-22, but tied for first in the wild card race. The Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles are 22-11 and in first place.

Rain-delayed start: Tonight's game will not start on time. We had some torrential rains this afternoon at the ballpark, and this game has a delayed start.