The Orioles won’t face a left-handed starter this week in Minnesota, denying them a chance to improve on a 2-9 record but also eliminating the possibility that it gets worse.

They couldn’t score Saturday in a combined seven innings against Kris Bubic and Daniel Lynch IV. Of course, the two right-handers who followed also shut them out.

Yesterday began with the club batting .174 with a .490 OPS against lefties, the lowest in baseball. The Royals started veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzo and he surrendered a career-high four home runs to match his season total. So yes, the Orioles lost but they did better against righties.

“Obviously, been a bit of a struggle for us,” said major league coach Buck Britton, in his first season on the staff after managing at Triple-A Norfolk. “We actually just had a conversation in the clubhouse today with the hitting coaches and it’s back to the drawing board.

“I feel like we’ve got a great training environment. But yeah, it’s out there and we’ve got to get out in front of it. I don’t know if there’s an easy fix, but we have the talent in there to make adjustments and get this ship back on the right track, so I’m looking forward to that.”

The entire offense will stand a fighting chance if Gunnar Henderson stays on a roll. He's finally moving in the right direction, and with speed.

Henderson extended his hitting streak to nine games yesterday with a double into left-center field in the first inning and he singled in the ninth. He went 3-for-4 on Saturday, including a single that he poked through a vacated spot on the left side of the infield. It was an impressive piece of hitting.

A slow start seemed inevitable with Henderson having only six at-bats in camp before straining his right intercostal. He went 6-for-12 in the Royals series and is 13-for-34 during his streak.

“His spring training is right in the fire when the season started,” Britton said. “He’s looking more comfortable at the plate, he’s getting better swings off. Another super-talented kid. I think he’s gonna get hot here.”

The Orioles recalled their No. 2 prospect, Coby Mayo, with Ramón Urías on the injured list. Mayo was batting .255/.353/.539 with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs and 21 RBIs in 28 games for Norfolk and he’s trying to do similar damage in the majors.

Mayo appeared in 17 games for the Orioles last summer and went 4-for-41 with 22 strikeouts. He came off the bench Saturday and got two at-bats, popping up against Lynch and striking out against John Schreiber.  

“First at-bat, I thought I put a good swing on the ball,” Mayo said after the game. “He obviously threw four straight to Ramón (Laureano) and I wanted to see a pitch and he threw me two changeups, and the second I thought I put a good swing on, just maybe missed under a little bit. And second at-bat, it’s just a good righty reliever and got the better of me. Gonna come back tomorrow and keep working.”

Mayo came back and found his name in the lineup at third base. He went 0-for-3 with a walk, popping up in the eighth with two on and no outs.

“I think it’s, No. 1, getting comfortable here. Trying to get regular at-bats, find places for him to get at-bats where he can have success,” Britton said.

“He’s a young player and he’s obviously dominated the minor leagues and they think he’s ready for this test. I think it’s just kind of staying within himself has been a theme of what I think the offense as a whole. You start to struggle, you start to try to do a little too much, try to be the hero. Stay within yourself, try to find barrel, and after that you can’t control what happens.”

* Britton played in the minors for nine seasons totaling 828 games before becoming a coach and manager. His first promotion to the majors came in his current role, and now he’s tasked, among his many responsibilities, with easing the transition of the young players.

“You ain’t facing that No. 4 or 5 starter in Triple-A that’s probably never going to pitch in the big leagues,” he said. “This is night in and night out, man. It is cutthroat. You’re gonna get everybody’s best shot.

“I feel like this team as a whole is targeted. We have guys in here who have proven they can be big-time players in the game, so they’re targeted themselves. Teams want to beat us, so they’re gonna give us their best shot. It’s consistent here. There are no days off, there are no easy matchups. It’s hard to win major league games is what I’ve come to find out.”

One reason why Britton is a valuable addition to the staff is his solid relationship with so many of the players. They’re comfortable with him. They trust him.

“It’s easy for me to push their buttons, I feel like, when they need it,” he said. “But again, just trying to stay positive. These guys haven’t had much adversity in their careers, especially coming up through the minors when I had them, but they’re staying together, they’re staying positive.”

Younger brother Zack Britton, the former All-Star closer who spent 12 seasons in the majors, is a valuable resource. Buck doesn’t hesitate to reach out.

“Yeah, no doubt,” he said. “He’s gone through it. He’s had his highs even as a player and he’s had his lows. We talk all the time and it’s about just trying to be consistent for these guys. Show up every day with a smile on my face with energy and try to push these guys forward.”

* A leftover fun fact:

First baseman Ryan O’Hearn is the only player with 25 or more home runs with the Orioles and Royals. He hit 38 with Kansas City and belted his 36^th yesterday with Baltimore.

You might win a few bar bets with that one.

I contacted STATS to find out who else came close. Pat Kelly is the only other player with 14-plus, hitting 33 with the Orioles and 14 with the Royals.

Other players who hit at least one with both franchises:

Lee May: 123, 3
Miguel Tejada: 109, 3
Jeff Conine: 79, 8
Jerry Adair: 43, 5
Pat Kelly: 33, 14
Sal Fasano: 20, 11
Danny Valencia: 17, 2
Hanser Alberto: 15, 2
Adam Frazier: 13, 4
Wilson Betemit: 12, 16
Maikel Franco: 11, 8
Gregg Zaun: 8, 13
Calvin Pickering: 3, 8
Emmanuel Rivera: 4, 7
Lonnie Smith: 2, 17
David Lough: 8, 5
Juan Beniquez: 6, 3
Eli Marrero: 3, 4
Todd Cruz: 6, 2
Kelvin Gutiérrez: 2, 2
Albert Castillo: 1, 2

O'Hearn and Cedric Mullins are tied for the team lead with seven homers. O'Hearn has hit four in his last seven games and gone 9-for-25 with a 1.309 OPS.

Mullins halted an 0-for-14 skid with yesterday's homer.