masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgTo win today and end a four-game losing streak, the Orioles will have to win a game started by Tampa Bay lefty Matt Moore. Moore is 7-0 with an ERA of 2.44 through eight starts.

He is tied for the American League wins lead with Yu Darvish of Texas. Moore ranks fifth in the league in ERA and has the best batting average against of any AL starter at .172.

The one area when he looks human is the walk total. He has walked 25 in 48 innings and that is tied for third most in the AL.

Here is a…To win today and end a four-game losing streak, the Orioles will have to win a game started by Tampa Bay lefty Matt Moore. Moore is 7-0 with an ERA of 2.44 through eight starts.

He is tied for the American League wins lead with Yu Darvish of Texas. Moore ranks fifth in the league in ERA and has the best batting average against of any AL starter at .172.

The one area when he looks human is the walk total. He has walked 25 in 48 innings and that is tied for third most in the AL.

Here is a crazy and impressive stat about Moore: When he pitches with runners in scoring position this year, he has allowed just one hit over 31 at-bats for an average of .032. Sounds pretty good to me.

Moore has been more hittable lately. He pitched to an ERA of 1.13 with a .121 average against in his first five starts. Over his last three he is 2-0 with an ERA of 5.06 (9 ER over 16 IP), allowing four homers and with a .258 average against.

Moore faced the Orioles on April 17, getting the win. Over 6 2/3 innings he gave up five hits and two runs with three walks and seven strikeouts.

On the season, lefty batters hit .220 against him and right-handed hitters bat just .151. Buck Showalter made an interesting point this morning about Moore and that split stat, saying you wonder what lefty hitters he is facing, meaning only the top left-handed batters are kept in the lineup to face him.

The O’s have just two lefty batters in their lineup today in Nick Markakis and Chris Davis.

Update: The Orioles pushed across a run in the last of the fourth to tie this game at 1-1. Manny Machado led the inning with a triple to right-center off the glove of right fielder Matt Joyce. Adam Jones singled to score him and then stole second and third with one out, but was stranded there.

Jones stole 16 of 23 bases last year and is 7-for-7 this season.

As we head to the fifth, the O’s will need more off Moore to win this game.