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O's try to avoid series loss to Rangers

Jul 1, 2015 - 2:22 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Baltimore Orioles haven't lost a series since the beginning of the June and will try to get back on track Wednesday in the third test of a four-game series versus the Texas Rangers.

The Orioles had won four in a row and seven of eight games until losing Monday's opener by an 8-1 score. They allowed eight more runs in Tuesday's 8-6 setback, as Miguel Gonzalez failed to aid the cause by allowing six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Chris Davis highlighted the Baltimore offense with two home runs and four RBI, and is batting .333 with three homers and nine RBI in his last seven games.

"I'm just trying to go out there and hit my pitch and do what I can," Davis said afterward.

Manny Machado homered in a losing effort for the Orioles, who are still in a virtual tie with Tampa Bay for first in the AL East. Machado's 12-game hit streak matches Jimmy Paredes (May 1-13) for the longest by an Orioles player this season.

Baltimore dropped three of four games in Houston from June 1-4.

The Orioles have won each of Wei-Yin Chen's last four starts and he will take the mound Wednesday. Chen is 2-0 in that span and did not record a decision in Friday's 4-3 win over Cleveland, as he hurled six innings of two-run ball. He threw eight scoreless innings versus Philadelphia on June 15 and is 3-4 with a 2.90 earned run average in 14 starts.

Chen is 2-3 in nine starts at Camden Yards this season and unbeaten in four career starts against Texas. He has a 1.67 ERA over 27 innings pitched in this series.

The Rangers will try to garner as much success against Chen as they did in Tuesday's victory. Mitch Moreland hit a pair of two-run home runs and has four homers and seven RBI in the first two games of this set.

Shin-Soo Choo and Robinson Chirinos also hit a solo shot each for the Rangers, who have prevailed in three of the last four games after losing six in a row.

Texas starting pitcher Colby Lewis allowed five runs -- three earned -- on six hits over six innings to pick up the win. Shawn Tolleson worked the ninth to post his 11th save.

"They kept battling for me," Lewis said. "It was one of those nights where the offense came through."

Josh Hamilton was activated off the disabled list prior to the game and showed no signs of a hamstring issue, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Hamilton played his first game since May 31 after being placed on the DL on June 4.

"I'm not trying to do too much," Hamilton said. "I am trying to put the barrel on the ball. You start from there. Once you start from there, you try to put a little extra into it if you need to. Overall, I felt good with my at-bats. It was a good night overall."

Nick Martinez will handle pitching duties for the Rangers Wednesday and is 5-4 with a 3.39 earned run average in 15 starts. Martinez has dropped back-to-back starts and is 1-4 in his past five decisions. In Friday's 12-2 loss at Toronto, Martinez was drilled for nine runs (8 earned) and nine hits in six innings.

Martinez has lost both of his career starts against Baltimore and is 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA in eight road starts.

Baltimore went 6-1 against Texas last season and is 11-3 in the past 14 games in this series. The Orioles and Rangers will meet again for three games in Arlington in last August.