masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgCHICAGO – Can the Orioles avoid their first three-game losing streak since late May?
They’ve dropped two straight at Wrigley Field. They lost four in a row from May 27-30 in Milwaukee and Houston.
The Orioles will make another roster move today to accommodate pitcher Miguel Gonzalez, who’s starting the series finale against the Cubs that also closes out the three-city road trip.
Manager Buck Showalter indicated yesterday that Manny Machado’s pending knee surgery may have influenced a move…

CHICAGO – Can the Orioles avoid their first three-game losing streak since late May?

They’ve dropped two straight at Wrigley Field. They lost four in a row from May 27-30 in Milwaukee and Houston.

The Orioles will make another roster move today to accommodate pitcher Miguel Gonzalez, who’s starting the series finale against the Cubs that also closes out the three-city road trip.

Manager Buck Showalter indicated yesterday that Manny Machado’s pending knee surgery may have influenced a move earlier in the season, but not necessarily with a week remaining before rosters expand.

In other words, the Orioles could attempt to finish up the month with a three-man bench that includes Ryan Flaherty as the lone utility infielder. They could option Cord Phelps, who has three at-bats since the Orioles selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk on Aug. 13.

The bullpen contains eight relievers, including Ubaldo Jimenez, who gave up one run in four innings yesterday and may actually benefit from the role change.

gonzalez-miguel-pitch-grey-sidebar.jpgGonzalez is making his 20th start today. He’s 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA in 11 road starts, seven of them classified as quality. He’s never faced the Cubs and none of their batters have faced him.

Gonzalez is 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA in three career interleague starts, all of them quality. He’s allowed seven earned runs in 19 innings.

The Cubs are starting former Orioles farmhand Tsuyoshi Wada, who’s 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA in seven starts.

Baseball-reference lists Wada’s nickname as “Dr. K,” but he seemed more like a patient with the Orioles. He never looked right in spring training 2012 and underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery in his left elbow. The Orioles didn’t include him on their expanded roster last September and declined to pick up his $5 million option.

If my memory hasn’t failed, I saw Wada pitch once at Ed Smith Stadium and charted every pitch as though it were Game 7 of the World Series. He may have worked an inning. Small sample size.

Wada has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his seven starts. Left-handers are hitting .174 against him and right-handers are hitting .256.

Opponents are 5-for-38 with one walk and 10 strikeouts against Wada with runners in scoring position.

This is Wada’s second day game with the Cubs. He allowed two runs over six innings in the first one.

Nick Markakis is in an 0-for-16 slump, his longest hitless stretch of the season. I’ll assume that he remains in the lineup today against Wada.

Steve Pearce is 9-for-26 (.346) during a six-game hitting streak. I’ll guarantee that he remains in the lineup today.

Nick Hundley is 4-for-10 in his last three games. Does he get another start over Caleb Joseph?

Adam Jones had an RBI double yesterday, and his 51 extra-base hits rank second on the team behind Nelson Cruz (56).