masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOn Saturday against Detroit, the Orioles allowed four homers in one inning for the first time in team history. Last night against Houston, they allowed six homers in a game for the first time since July 7, 2011.

Last season, the Orioles allowed four or more homers in a game eight times all season. So far in 2013, that has already happened seven times.

The Orioles pitching staff has given up 13 homers over the last four games and 23 in the last eight, giving up four homers or more four times…On Saturday against Detroit, the Orioles allowed four homers in one inning for the first time in team history. Last night against Houston, they allowed six homers in a game for the first time since July 7, 2011.

Last season, the Orioles allowed four or more homers in a game eight times all season. So far in 2013, that has already happened seven times.

The Orioles pitching staff has given up 13 homers over the last four games and 23 in the last eight, giving up four homers or more four times in just that eight-game run.

To say the least, this is not a good trend.

The Orioles now lead the majors in homers allowed:

85 – Orioles
82 – Houston
78 – Milwaukee
76 – Toronto

At this pace, the Orioles would give up 233 homers this season. They gave up 184 last year and in 2012, Toronto led the majors by allowing 204.

Chris Tillman has given the most on the staff at 15 with Jason Hammel and Freddy Garcia next with 11 each. Today’s starter, Miguel Gonzalez, has given up eight home runs.

As the season goes on, it’s getting worse and not better. The O’s staff yielded 1.1 homers per game on average in April and 1.5 in May. That is up to 3.3 in four June games.

The O’s team ERA of 4.56 is tied for 13th in the AL, ahead of only Houston. O’s starting pitchers have worked six or fewer innings in eight of the last 13 games.

Captain Obvious would tell you that all these stats need to start getting better and pretty soon. This is not the time for a June swoon.

O’s get 3-1 lead: After Gonzalez allowed a run in the first (although not on a homer,) the Orioles scored three in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Adam Jones tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI double, snapping a 1-for-14 and 6-for-34 stretch. J.J. Hardy’s RBI single made it 2-1, and a third run scored on a Bud Norris wild pitch.