CLEVELAND — After watching his team set dubious major league history this week, Orioles manager Buck Showalter shuffled his batting order for Friday night's series opener in Cleveland, placing center fielder Adam Jones in the leadoff spot for the first time in six years.

While being swept in Houston, the Orioles struck out 52 times — the most ever by a major league team in a three-game series — and the trio of Jones, first baseman Chris Davis and outfielder Mark Trumbo were a combined 5-for-43 with 22 strikeouts.

So Showalter decided to split them. He put hot-hitting catcher Matt Wieters in between them Thursday night to no avail and on Friday gave Jones his first start atop the order since May?6, 2010.

“Just a different look for him and everybody,” Showalter said. “We've had ... Adam, Chris and ‘Trumb' hitting back to back and when they collectively swing and miss a lot as a group, you try to break it up a little bit. It's the first time it's really happened with all three of them. That's why I tried to put Matt in between them yesterday, but right now everybody's having their challenges.”

Jones entered Friday with just three hits over his past 39 at-bats dating to May 15. He was 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts in Houston. Most of Jones' starts have come from the No. 3 position, but he's also hit from the second, fourth and fifth spots in the order.

The Orioles went into Friday having scored three runs or fewer in each of their past five games and a total of seven runs in the three games in Houston.

Jones, whose aggressiveness at the plate makes him an unusual fit for the leadoff position, had made 21 previous starts there, 15 in 2010. He is a .240/.284/.281 hitter in 102 career plate appearances at the top of the order.

“Are they going to pitch me differently?” Jones said when asked whether batting leadoff would change his free-swinging approach at the plate.

“Have you seen the last few games?” he added. “All right then. Let's see if we can get some guys hot.”

Said Showalter: “We had about four options and that was the one we picked. I talked to [Jones] a little bit, went over the four options — leave him where he is, drop him down, give him the day off or [hit him leadoff]. I don't want to get too predictable.”

Jones led off Friday's game with a single to start a three-run inning and finished 3-for-5. The Orioles struck out just six times.

Gallardo ready to go: Right-hander Yovani Gallardo is scheduled to pitch in a simulated game at Progressive Field before today's game, marking his first time throwing to hitters since he went on the disabled list last month.

Showalter said Gallardo will likely go two or three innings and left open the possibility Gallardo's next step could be going on a minor league rehabilitation assignment to build innings.

Pitching coach Dave Wallace “is keeping an open mind about that,” Showalter said. “It kind of goes from the training room to the baseball decision now.”

McFarland's simulated game a success: Left-hander T.J. McFarland, who's on the seven-day minor league DL with a knee injury, threw a two-inning simulated game (30 pitches) with Triple-A Norfolk on Friday.

Showalter said McFarland came out of the game well and could start for the Tides on Sunday. McFarland left his May 13 outing for Norfolk after tweaking his knee while covering home plate.

Around the horn: Showalter said shortstop J.J. Hardy's progress in Sarasota, Fla., this weekend will determine whether he rejoins the club when the Orioles return home next week. Hardy is beginning to do weight-bearing exercises on his injured left foot, but he experienced soreness when testing it this week. “He's great to have around,” Showalter said. “I know he wants to reconnect with our team as soon as possible.” ... Outfielder Hyun Soo Kim was in the starting lineup for the third straight game for the first time in his major league career. Kim, who started in left field and batted second Friday, entered the game 5-for-7 with two doubles and one run scored in his past two games.

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