After a long and winding trip out on the West Coast, The Orioles are set to make their return to Birdland for the first time since the 26th of June to host the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game set before hitting the All-Star Break.
The Orioles (49-35) have endured a roller coaster of a road trip to kick off the month of July, but they managed to impressively save face by snapping a five-game losing skid before taking the rubber match of the three-game clash versus the Dodgers in Hollywood. As a result, they still own a two-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays (49-39) for first in the division, while the Orioles will also be looking to add a few more W’s to their MLB-best 31-13 record at home versus the Halos before hitting the break.
The Angels (36-50) have posted a 4-3 mark thus far in July after enduring a nightmare-esque month of June (8-19), but find themselves 16.5-games behind the red-hot Texas Rangers (53-34) for first place in the AL West.
The Angels, however, have been in excellent form recently and own a 4-2 record over the past six games. Not only did the Halos take three of four from Tampa Bay, they also demolished the Red Sox to the tune of a 21-2 final score on July 2nd. During their latest six-game span, the Angels have outscored opponents 55-22 and head into town on a three-game winning streak.
Despite winning two of three in California versus the Angels back in May, the Angels still own a 22-18 advantage over the Orioles since the start of the 2011 season.
The O’s have also posted a dreadful 6-14 mark versus the AL West on the year. Yikes….here’s to reversing that trend.
Now, let’s take a look at the starters:
Ubaldo Jimenez (5-8, 6.95 ERA) will take the mound versus Matt Shoemaker (3-9, 4.40 ERA) in the series opener on Friday.
Jimenez owns a 1-6 record with a 4.93 ERA over seven career starts versus the Angels, and will be looking to avenge his latest outing against Los Angeles in which he allowed six runs on eight hits over 5.2 innings with three walks and three K’s in a 10-2 loss on May 22nd.
Despite getting tagged in his last start versus Seattle, Jimenez has still registered a 2-1 record with a 5.28 ERA over his last three contests and owns a 4-2 record with a 5.85 ERA in the confines of Camden Yards this season.
Shoemaker most likely felt a little bit hard done by after receiving the no-decision in his last start versus Baltimore on May 21st. Despite scattering just three hits over 7.1 stellar shutout innings with zero walks and 12 K’s, the Eastern Michigan alum could do nothing but sit and watch in agony as his club coughed up the lead and spoiled his magnificent performance in the 3-1 loss.
The 29-year-old Michigan native owns a 1-1 record and an impressive 2.25 ERA over three career starts against the O’s while holding hitters to a stellar .153 average at the plate.
Yovani Gallardo (3-1, 6.10 ERA) is set to face Nick Tropeano (3-2, 3.28 ERA) in Saturday’s mid-evening contest.
After getting tagged versus the Dodgers, Gallardo will be looking to get back on track after posting three straight solid outings prior to his forgettable Fourth of July display.
However, the Mexico native has only faced the Halos once in his career, and was touched up for five runs on eight hits over four innings with three walks and three strikeouts against Los Angeles on July 25th, 2015, but received the no-decision in the 7-6 Rangers comeback win.
The 25-year-old Tropeano has never faced the Orioles, but the Stony Brook (NY) alum has been a steady influence on the Angels starting rotation this season. Tropeano has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts on the year and owns a 2-1 record with a stellar 2.78 ERA on the road.
Orioles ace Chris Tillman (11-2, 3.55 ERA) will is set to take on Tim Lincecum (1-2, 7.50 ERA) in the series (and first “half”) finale on Sunday.
Following a topsy-turvy month of June, Tillman bounced back into form by allowing just one run on five hits over seven strong innings versus the Dodgers last Wednesday. He will be looking to keep his immaculate 7-0 record at Camden Yards intact against the Angels.
The 28-year-old hasn’t faced the Angels since doing so twice in 2014, but the Anaheim native owns a 2-0 record with a stellar 2.45 ERA over four career starts versus his hometown club.
After dazzling during his season debut versus Oakland on June 18th, Lincecum has been bruised for 14 earned runs on 25 hits over just 12 innings during his last three outings (0-2, 10.50 ERA).
The 32-year-old Washington native and two-time Cy-Young award winner has only faced the Orioles once in his career, but he will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight dismal performance versus the O’s and their super-dangerous sluggers. As we all know, that’s easier said than done.
The Orioles come into the three-game clash at Camden Yards ranked third in the AL in batting average (.271) and scoring (5.11 runs per game), tied for second in OBP (.332) and lead the majors in HR (131).
Their offense also boasts two 2016 All-Stars and mid-season MVP candidates: Manny Machado (.321, 19 HR, 53 RBI) and Mark Trumbo (.285, 26 HR, 64 RBI).
The Angels are boosted by the ever-dangerous presence of five-time All-Star and 2014 MVP Mike Trout (.321, 18 HR, 56 RBI) and ten-time All-Star and three-time MVP Albert Pujols (.251, 15 HR, 58 RBI), while 26-year-old first baseman C.J Cron (.280, 11 HR, 48 RBI) and 28-year-old right fielder Kole Calhoun (.284, 10 HR, 46 RBI) also represent a real threat to the O’s pitching staff. Largely in part to their “Core Four,” the Angels fly into Birdland ranked eighth in the AL in scoring (4.53) and fifth in batting average (.267) and OBP (.327), but just 14th in HR (84).
With this being the last series before embarking on the four-day All-Star Break, here’s to hitting the official halfway point of the campaign on a high note!
And here’s to the first-place Orioles…you know, just for being in first place at the break.
Woahhhh, we’re half way there!
