Taking stock of the struggling offense and Tanner Scott's outing

The Cleveland Indians pitching staff has been on a roll. The Orioles hitting has definitely not. That has been a bad combination in this series for the Orioles.

Thanks to Dylan Bundy, they managed to win on Friday night, but they are batting .138 (8-for-58) the past two nights against Cleveland pitchers.

The Orioles have scored a total of 15 runs in eight home games in 2018. They've scored three, two, zero, one, one, five, three and zero. They are batting .169/.263/.274 at home this year. They rank last in the American League in all three categories and last in home OPS at .538.

The Orioles have scored three runs or less 14 times this year and Cleveland has allowed three or fewer 14 times. Cleveland pitchers have an ERA of 1.72 over their last 13 games.

Does it get better for the O's today? Well if it does it will have to come versus two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber. He is 2-1 with a 1.52 ERA.

Scott throws well: In Saturday's loss two brights spots were two of the team's youngest players. Catcher Chance Sisco threw out three runners trying to steal and is now 7-for-11 on the year throwing out runners. Impressive.

Orioles lefty pitching prospect Tanner Scott provided the team a strong two scoreless innings when he replaced Chris Tillman Saturday and pitched the seventh and eighth. It was just his fourth career game in the majors.

He retired six of seven batters with no walks and one strikeout, which came on a slider. He needed just 19 pitches and threw 11 strikes.

"Throwing strikes and trying to attack the hitters pitch by pitch. Just looking to trust my stuff and get outs," he said after his outing.

Scott had a strong spring with the Orioles with just two walks and seven strikeouts over seven innings. Then he went to Triple-A Norfolk and threw six scoreless, although he did allow three inherited runners to score.

"Definitely there has been a good carryover from spring to Norfolk to here. I am just going to try to keep it going," he said.

Scott hopes to find a permanent role in the Orioles bullpen, where the other lefties have mentored him. Zach Britton and Richard Bleier have been trusted confidants for him.

"Zach, I was talking to him all spring. My locker was next to his and we talked every day. Richard is having success and why not listen to those two guys? The ultimate closer and then Bleier, he is doing so well. Just taking whatever information I can," Scott added.

Scott can throw his fastball 100 mph. But this spring he found more command with less velocity. Yesterday he averaged 95.5 mph on his fastball, topping at 96.7 mph. He averaged 86.5 on his slider.

But if he needs to tap into more velocity, he is certain it will be there.

"Oh definitely. But the goal is strikes and putting the ball where I want it instead of here try to hit this and then it's not close to the zone," he said.

Before Saturday's game I had another conversation with Scott. Click here for that as we talked velocity and about his latest call to the majors.

In the minors: Single-A Delmarva beat Lakewood 5-4 in 10 innings to improve to 12-4. An RBI single in the 10th by Seamus Curran tied it 4-4 and a single by Branden Becker won it for the Shorebirds. Starter Brenan Hanifee allowed three runs over seven innings. Curran went 3-for-5 and is batting .315.

Single-A Frederick had a season-high 17 hits but lost 12-10 to Wilmington to fall to 6-11 with six consecutive losses. Ryan McKenna went 3-for-4 with two runs and a solo homer and is batting .353.

Double-A Bowie beat Akron 4-3 in 12 innings to improve to 9-6. Martin Cervenka's RBI single won the game for the Baysox. Bowie got 6 1/3 combined scoreless and no-hit innings from its bullpen as Tanner Chleborad, Paul Fry and Jay Flaa combined for nine strikeouts. Flaa, who got the win, fanned six in two innings. Cervenka had three hits and is batting .395.

Triple-A Norfolk lost to Buffalo 8-6 in 11 innings to fall to 7-6. Jimmy Yacabonis got the start and threw five scoreless on two hits. Jaycob Brugman had three hits while Joey Rickard added a double and three RBIs for the Tides.