O's offense comes up short again and Cobb faces his former team

It is beginning to look like Groundhog Day. The Orioles show up at Camden Yards, get a decent starting pitching performance many nights, but can't back it up with enough offense to win. Any offense would be appreciated at this point.

The Cleveland Indians have an excellent pitching staff and the Orioles offense can vouch for that after scoring just seven runs on 21 hits the last four days. Thanks to Dylan Bundy they were not swept four straight.

Right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed two runs over eight innings last night. And he lost.

"I think frustrating is probably the best word to describe the feeling of our offense," first baseman Chris Davis said. "There is no doubt we are facing good pitching, but we've had some outstanding outings from our pitching. It's tough when you can't push runs across for those guys."

Tough indeed. In losing for the ninth time in 10 games last night the Orioles scored three or fewer runs for the 16th time during a 6-17 start. They have scored three or less four straight games and in eight of the past 10 games.

At home it is even worse. The Orioles are batting just .176/.256/.285 in 10 home games, scoring 19 runs and going 3-7.

AL East runs per game average in home games:

7.6 - Boston
6.8 - New York
6.7 - Toronto
4.5 - Tampa Bay
1.9 - Baltimore

Speaking of Tampa Bay: New Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb has made 117 career starts - all but two of them for the Tampa Bay Rays. When he pitches for the third time for the Orioles tonight, it will be for the first time against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cobb said it would be both fun and interesting to face his former team, but once first pitch arrives, he believes it should be just like another game.

But to him the Rays are not just another organization. They drafted him in the fourth round in 2006 out of Vero Beach (Fla.) High School. Over six seasons, he went 48-35 with an ERA of 3.50 for Tampa Bay.

The Rays still mean a lot to him and always will.

"Well it means everything in my professional career really," Cobb said. "From signing at age 18 to the last out I made, actually here at Camden Yards, with them. It's the development I went through on and off the field over there. There are a lot of people that you think about and appreciate that you're thankful for that intervened in your life to help you become the pitcher and person that you are."

So no secrets here. The Rays batters, or most of them any way, should know exactly what to expect from Cobb. On the other hand, he's seen some of those players bat for a few years too.

"As long as you hold the ball on the mound, you always have the advantage. There are not too many times that doesn't hold true. And I don't see that being any different this time," Cobb said.