masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles are under .500 for the first time since June 11, when they swept the Red Sox at Camden Yards to improve their record to 29-30.
They were in the midst of a stretch where they won 18 of 23 games. They were headed in the right direction.
Inconsistent starting pitching and the inability to hit with runners in scoring position have conspired to drag down the Orioles like anchors tied to their ankles. A shutdown inning here and there also would be nice.
Now they get All-Star left-hander…

The Orioles are under .500 for the first time since June 11, when they swept the Red Sox at Camden Yards to improve their record to 29-30.

They were in the midst of a stretch where they won 18 of 23 games. They were headed in the right direction.

showalter-serious-black-jacket-sidebar.jpgInconsistent starting pitching and the inability to hit with runners in scoring position have conspired to drag down the Orioles like anchors tied to their ankles. A shutdown inning here and there also would be nice.

Now they get All-Star left-hander David Price, who’s 9-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 18 starts. Because the baseball gods aren’t done tweaking their nipples.

The Orioles went 1-for-14 with RISP and stranded 11 last night. Good luck winning with those stats.

The stretch of futility with RISP has reached 8-for-95, which would be comical if it didn’t induce tears. They put runners on the corners with no outs and fans are praying for a fielder’s choice grounder. Second and third with no outs? Their kingdom for a fly ball.

Not surprisingly, the Orioles are averaging 2.9 runs in their last 12 games.

Maybe it’s the gnome. If we’re going to point fingers …

Price is averaging 1.8 walks and 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and he’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts. He’s 7-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 17 career starts against the Orioles, not counting his loss in Game 3 of last year’s American League Division Series.

The Orioles want to get into the Tigers’ bullpen, which comes with its own blow torch. Their relievers could spend nine innings making creme brulee. But the Orioles also need to keep the game close or, stay with me here, get a few clutch hits and take the lead.

Matt Wieters is 15-for-41 (.366) with six doubles and a home run against Price. Will he catch on back-to-back nights after resting over the break? My guess is he’ll be in the lineup.

J.J. Hardy is 13-for-39 (.333) with five doubles. Nolan Reimold normally would get the start against a left-hander, but he’s 4-for-25 versus Price. One of the hits is a home run.

Chris Parmelee, lowered to ninth in the order last night, went 0-for-4 with an RBI. He’s 4-for-33 this month, with no home runs, no RBIs and one walk. It’s reasonable to wonder whether his roster spot is in jeopardy as the Orioles figure out how to make room for Kevin Gausman, the expected starter Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Gausman allowed two runs and six hits in six innings last night for Triple-A Norfolk, with no walks, eight strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 96 pitches, 65 for strikes.

Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight for the Orioles, who have lost 11 of their last 14 games. He’s 4-0 with three no-decisions in his last seven starts.

A big key for Tillman has been better control, with two walks issued in his last four starts, though that includes the outing when he lasted only 1 1/3 innings in Toronto. He’s averaging 3.8 walks per nine innings, and that’s quite an improvement over his earlier struggles to locate the plate.

Tillman is 3-0 with a 3.58 ERA in six career starts against the Tigers and 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA in four starts at Comerica Park. Anthony Gose is 6-for-12 with a double, a triple and five strikeouts against Tillman, and Victor Martinez is 5-for-12 with a double and home run.

Right-handers are batting .314 against Tillman this season. They’re hitting .253 in his career.

Shameless plug alert: I’m appearing on “Wall to Wall Baseball” from noon-2 p.m. on MASN.