After a long and winding road trip and a week on the west coast, the Orioles will head home to take on the Boston Red Sox for a two-game mini-series before hosting the Astros for a four-game series in the latter part of the week.
The Orioles (66-51) ended the road trip level at 5-5, but find themselves deadlocked with the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East entering the second half of August. On the other hand, the Orioles will be returning home to host the Sox still boasting an MLB-best 39-17 mark at Camden Yards while also owning an impressive 9-3 record over their last 12 games at home.
The O’s have also recorded a 26-19 clip versus the AL East, the best record in the majors against what is still arguably the best division in baseball.
The Red Sox (65-52) are right on the Orioles’ and Blue Jays’ heels for the top spot in the division after winning four in a row versus Arizona and Cleveland, and fly into Baltimore just a game behind their hosts for first in the division.
Even though it’s just a two-game set…it’s a huge two-game set.
The Orioles hold a 6-4 advantage over Boston in the season series to date, bringing their record against their long-loathed rivals to a sparkling 60-43 since the start of the 2011 season. During that same span, the Orioles own a 30-20 record against the Red Sox at Camden Yards.
No longer is Camden Yards “Fenway South,” and it hasn’t been for five years now.
Thanks, Buck. Give that man a statue already.
Yovani Gallardo (4-4, 5.17 ERA) will take the mound against southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5, 5.43 ERA) in the series opener on Tuesday.
Gallardo has been up-and-down since returning to the rotation, but still owns a 2-0 record and 3.33 at Camden Yards this season. The former All-Star will be making his second start versus the Sox after allowing five runs on seven hits over five innings against them on April 11th, when he was bailed out by the offense and received a no-decision in the Orioles 9-7 win.
In five career starts versus Boston, Gallardo has recorded a 2-2 record and a 5.26 ERA.
The 23-year old and native Venezuelan Eduardo Rodriguez has finally found his 2015 form since returning from AAA for the Sox, and owns a 2.55 ERA over his last three outings. In his last start versus the Yankees on August 11th, Rodriguez allowed just one run on five hits over seven innings while walking one and striking out six, but received a no-decision in the 4-2 loss.
The former O’s prospect will be making his third start against the Birds on the year, and owns a 1-1 record along with a 6.10 ERA over two starts. In five career outings versus Baltimore, Rodriguez has registered a 1-3 record and a 4.97 ERA.
Orioles ace Chris Tillman (15-4, 3.46 ERA) will get the nod against David Price (10-8, 4.29 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.
Tillman is heading into his second start versus Boston this season after shutting them down to the tune of just a single run on five hits over seven innings while racking up seven K’s in a 3-2 win on June 14th.
Just another gem against the BoSox from Tillman; he owns an impressive 10-3 record and a sparkling 2.74 ERA over 19 career starts versus Ortiz & Co.
However, despite not lighting the world on fire during his first season in Boston, David Price also owns a 8-5 record with a stellar 2.93 ERA over 21 career starts against the Birds, so we could very well be in for a pitcher’s duel.
The Orioles pitching staff will be in for a battle against a club that ranks first in the majors in scoring (5.52 runs per game), team batting average (.285), team slugging % (.468), team OPS (.818) and team OBP (.350).
As always, ten-time All-Star David Ortiz (.312, 27 HR, 92 RBI) leads the way for the Sox, while he is joined by a pair of rising 23-year-old stars in Mookie Betts (.313, 26 HR, 84 RBI) and Xander Bogaerts (.312, 14 HR, 69 RBI) along with captain Dustin Pedroia (.308, 12 HR, 53 RBI) and breakout star centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (.284, 19 HR, 66 RBI).
It also doesn’t help that Ortiz is hitting .350 with five homers and 11 RBI against the Birds this season, while Betts is batting a ridiculous .419 versus Baltimore on the campaign with six homers and 12 RBI. Bogaerts (.286, 0 HR, 9 RBI) and Pedroia (.364, 6 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) have also been a couple of thorns in the Orioles’ side this season.
Regardless, a pair of W’s against Boston would prove to be massive come the end of the season. But it won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination.
Time to put on your hardhat O’s, and of the words of the late Al Davis…
Just win, Baby!
