Thursday night Orioles game thread: at Red Sox, 7:30

With only four games left in the 2020 season, Baltimore is stumbling to the finish line. They have lost 12 of their last 15 games, including the past two against Boston — who happens to be the only team in the AL East with a record worse than the O’s, for now at least.

Tonight’s starter for the Birds is Alex Cobb (1-5, 4.76 ERA), who has fared well against the Red Sox over the course of two starts this year, having allowed three runs over 10.1 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. But in his last two starts, unfortunately, Cobb has a 6.30 ERA.

In 17 career at-bats each against the Orioles right-hander, J.D. Martinez is hitting .529 and Jackie Bradley Jr. is hitting .294. On the flip side, Xander Bogaerts is hitting .211 in 19 career at-bats and Rafael Devers is only hitting .125 in 16 ABs.

Left-hander Martin Perez (3-4, 3.88 ERA) will take the ball for the Red Sox tonight, having held the O’s to six runs (five earned) over 12 total innings this year. The Birds have had a problem with left-handed pitchers in 2020, managing just a .233/.296/.393 triple slash line as a team.

There are a couple Oriole hitters who have encountered success against Perez in their careers though. Lefty killer Hanser Alberto has a .417 batting average and one home run in 12 at-bats against the southpaw and Renato Nunez, who starts the night on the bench, is hitting .333 with two home runs and seven RBI in 15 ABs.

Orioles lineup

1. Hanser Alberto 2B
2. Jose Iglesias DH
3. Ryan Mountcastle LF
4. Pedro Severino C
5. Austin Hays RF
6. Pat Valaika 1B
7. Rio Ruiz 3B
8. Ramon Urias SS
9. Cedric Mullins CF

Alex Cobb RHP

Red Sox lineup

1. Alex Verdugo RF
2. Rafael Devers 3B
3. Xander Bogaerts SS
4. J.D. Martinez DH
5. Christian Vazquez C
6. Jackie Bradley Jr. CF
7. Bobby Dalbec 1B
8. Michael Chavis LF
9. Christian Arroyo 2B

Martin Perez LHP