O's game blog: Kevin Gausman pitches Toronto series finale

After 7-1 and 2-1 losses, the Orioles need a win at home tonight to avoid getting swept three straight by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles are 4-8 and Toronto is 8-4.

Toronto is 3-0-1 in its four series. They split four with the Yankees and then won two of three from both the White Sox and Rangers. A Toronto win tonight would give them their first three-game sweep in Baltimore since July 16-18, 2010.

O's starters Dylan Bundy and Andrew Cashner combined to pitch 14 innings allowing just two runs and eight hits against Toronto. But O's batters scored just two runs on 14 hits, going 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

The Orioles are 1-4 at home and have scored just seven runs in those five games. The team batting line in home games is .147/.257/.250 with three home runs. The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer eight times in 12 games.

On the mound tonight, right-hander Kevin Gausman (0-1, 8.00 ERA) faces right-hander Marco Estrada (1-0, 2.77 ERA).

Gausman allowed six runs in four innings in his season debut versus Minnesota and then gave up two runs over five innings against New York. His fastball velocity averaged just 92.4 mph against Minnesota and ticked up to 92.9 at Yankee Stadium.

Gausman pitched well against Toronto in 2017, going 3-0 with a 1.51 ERA over six starts. In 18 career games (13 starts) he is 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA versus the Blue Jays.

Estrada has thrown 13 innings in starts against New York and Texas, allowing nine hits and four runs with four walks and nine strikeouts. Lefty batters are hitting just .091 (2-for-22) against him and right-handers are batting .280 (7-for-28).

Estrada has thrown his fastball 61 percent of the time in 2018 and his outstanding changeup 27 percent. Opponent batters are hitting just .133 off his changeup.

Last year in five starts versus Baltimore he is 3-0 with a 3.23 ERA. In 15 career games (13 starts) he is 7-1 with a 3.22 ERA.

Earlier today in Bowie, right-hander Alex Cobb threw his final bullpen session before he makes his Orioles debut Saturday in Boston. I had a chance to interview Cobb at Prince George's Stadium. Click here for that.

Still unbeaten: For the first time in franchise history, the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds are 7-0 to start the season after a 5-1 win over the Hickory Crawdads today at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The Shorebirds (7-0) had never started better than 6-0 in their 23-year history before sweeping series against Asheville and the Crawdads (0-6) for a perfect homestand. Delmarva now has the best record in all of minor league baseball and is one of only two remaining undefeated teams. The Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League are 4-0.

Right-hander Michael Baumann fanned nine and allowed just one run over six innings. He is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA. Shorebirds second baseman Kirvin Moesquit went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and is batting .423.

Triple-A Norfolk beat Charlotte 4-3 in 11 innings as Garabez Rosa went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs. His single in the 11th ended the game. Tides pitchers struck out 16 and lefty Jason Gurka got the win.

Carolina beat Single-A Frederick 3-2. Lefty Alexander Wells pitched a strong game in a no-decision. Over six innings he allowed two hits and one unearned run with one walk and five strikeouts. Wells has a 1.74 ERA through two starts.