masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBuck Showalter admitted today that at least one reason he selected Dana Eveland to start Saturday here against Cleveland is because he is left-handed. The Orioles will start three lefties in this series including Wei-Yin Chen, who is on the mound tonight.

Cleveland has a record of 5-16 this year against left-handed starters and 32-21 against right-handers.

Against southpaws, the Tribe bats .216 as a team with a slugging percentage of .326. Those numbers are .264 and .407 against right-handed…Buck Showalter admitted today that at least one reason he selected Dana Eveland to start Saturday here against Cleveland is because he is left-handed. The Orioles will start three lefties in this series including Wei-Yin Chen, who is on the mound tonight.

Cleveland has a record of 5-16 this year against left-handed starters and 32-21 against right-handers.

Against southpaws, the Tribe bats .216 as a team with a slugging percentage of .326. Those numbers are .264 and .407 against right-handed pitchers. Five of the batters in tonight’s Tribe lineup hit .231 or below versus left-handed pitchers.

In the second inning tonight, Johnny Damon foiled that left on left strategy, hitting a three-run homer to give the Tribe an early 3-0 lead on the Orioles. It is his 33rd career homer against Baltimore pitching.

Cleveland comes into this game with an overall 37-37 record and has lost its last five games and been outscored 33-11 in those games.

Cleveland was 26-18 on May 24, but the Indians are 11-19 since. The Tribe has lost four of its last five and seven of the last 10 series.

The Orioles, meanwhile, are still trying to get their bats going. Their 21 runs and .186 batting average over the last 11 games are both major league lows in that time.

Five members of the Double-A Bowie Baysox have been selected to play in the Eastern League All-Star game for the Western Division.

They are outfielder Robbie Widlansky, second baseman Jonathan Schoop, infielder Buck Britton, right-hander Zach Clark and left-hander Pedro Viola.