Fresh off a clutch series win in New York, the Birds welcome the struggling Chicago White Sox to town a three-game set that kicks off an 11-game homestand. The soft part of the schedule is RIGHT NOW for the O’s, and they really need to stop playing down to their competition and take advantage. They’re only 1.5 games out of first place in the AL East, and there is no time like the present to make a move going into the All-Star break.
It won’t be easy tonight against Chicago ace Chris Sale, but it wasn’t easy against Masahiro Tanaka yesterday either, and they got it done.
LINEUP
Orioles
RF Nick Markakis
1B Steve Pearce
CF Adam Jones
LF Nelson Cruz
DH Delmon Young
SS J.J. Hardy
3B Manny Machado
2B Jonathan Schoop
C Caleb Joseph
P Wei-Yin Chen – June: 4 starts, 25.1 IP, 19 H, 6 ER (2.13 ERA), 2 BB, 20 K
White Sox
CF Adam Eaton
2B Gordon Beckham
DH Jose Abreu
LF Dayan Viciedo
SS Alexi Ramirez
1B Paul Konerko
3B Conor Gillaspie
RF Moises Sierra
C Tyler Flowers
P Chris Sale – June: 4 starts, 29 IP, 22 H, 9 ER (2.80 ERA), 2 BB, 32 K
CURRENT STREAK
Orioles Won 2
White Sox Lost 4
LAST 10
Orioles 6-4
White Sox 2-8
Tidbits
Chris Sale also hails from Lakeland, Florida, home of Steve Pearce (and Ray Lewis).
ERA in June (4 starts each): Sale 2.80, Wei-Yin Chen 2.13
Delmon Young is 2/9 with a double and a HR against Sale. Nelson Cruz is 3/8 with a HR. Nick Markakis is 2/5 with a double.
