Baltimore @ Oakland preview

Baltimore at Oakland

Last Meeting ( Apr 15, 2010 ) Baltimore 2, Oakland 6

The Baltimore Orioles’ woes continue to mount and the Oakland Athletics won’t be looking to ease those troubles.

Baltimore (1-9) dropped its seventh consecutive game with a 6-2 loss to Oakland in Thursday’s opener of the four-game series. The Orioles’ problems have come in reverse of the way many predicted this season.

Although the starting pitching rotation is very young, the staff has done very well. But the offense, which was one of the best in the American League last year, simply hasn’t come through, ranking near the bottom of the AL in average the first two weeks.

That issue showed up again Thursday night. The Orioles got eight hits, and once more couldn’t hit in the clutch, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 on base.

David Hernandez (0-2) got into huge trouble in each of the first two innings and somehow escaped by allowing just three runs. He made it through five innings and struck out six while walking only one.

Right-hander Kevin Millwood (0-1) will try to build on his career success against Oakland – he’s 6-3 versus the A’s – to stop the skid tonight.

Orioles manager Dave Trembley, who is going to hear the calls for his job get louder and louder if the team keeps struggling, said that Jim Johnson will likely take over most of the closer’s role with Michael Gonzalez on the disabled list. Trembley said Thursday that Gonzalez is likely going to be out about three.

Oakland’s pitching staff has been solid all season. Ben Sheets (1-0) threw six scoreless innings in Thursday’s win, an effort similar to what the A’s have gotten from their starters throughout the first two weeks.

The A’s (7-4) have a no-name staff that’s been very consistent. Sheets could be an anchor if he finds the form he had in the past with the Brewers.

Dallas Braden (1-0) has been strong against the Orioles throughout his career. He’s got a 4-1 record with a 1.32 ERA and will make the start tonight.

Oakland’s problem has been a lack of consistency from its bullpen.

All four of the A’s losses have been charged to their bullpen, but despite that Oakland still has one of the top relief corps in the American League.

The A’s need the bullpen to be a little more consistent to back up one of the American League’s best young starting staffs.