After suffering through a two-game sweep dealt by the Red Sox, the Orioles will now look to shake off the last two disheartening nights in the first game of a four-game set against the Astros tonight at Camden Yards.
The Orioles (66-53) find themselves two games behind Toronto for first in the division and trail the Sox by one game for second place going into the upcoming clash versus Houston after dropping six of their last nine contests.
And even though their home record still stands at an AL-best 39-19, the Orioles have also lost five of their last seven home games.
With 43 games remaining on the schedule, the Orioles need to break out of their current mini-slump sooner rather than later. It’s not time to hit the panic button just yet, but the hourglass is slowly running out with each passing day.
Which means there’s no time to waste and every game from here on out is critical. There’s also no time to dwell on the past, even if it was yesterday.
It’s time to get back to work, fellas.
The Astros (61-59) find themselves ten games behind the Texas Rangers for first in the AL West after posting a horrid 7-13 mark over their last 20 games and a 6-10 record in the month of August. The ‘Stros will also be looking to snap a current four-game losing skid.
The Orioles will be hoping for a better outcome versus Houston after getting swept by them at Minute Maid Park back in May. Since the Astros jumped from the NL to the AL in 2013, the Orioles have posted a 11-12 mark against their visitors but just a 2-7 clip over the last nine meetings.
Kevin Gausman (3-10, 4.04 ERA) will get the nod in the series opener versus Joe Musgrove (1-0, 1.47 ERA) on Thursday.
Gausman will carry a 3-1 record and a superb 2.39 ERA at Camden Yards into his second start of the season versus Houston. In his first career start against the Astros on May 26th, the Orioles flamethrower allowed four runs on five hits over five innings with one walk and seven K’s in a 4-2 loss.
Musgrove, 24, will be making just his fourth career MLB start against the Birds on Thursday. The native Californian recorded his first career win after allowing just two runs on six hits over seven innings while recording seven strikeouts in a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays on August 12th.
Wade Miley (7-10, 5.23 ERA) will take the hill against Collin McHugh (7-10, 4.70 ERA) in the second game of the series on Friday.
While Miley has struggled since moving to Baltimore and owns a 0-2 record with a 7.04 ERA over three starts as an Oriole, he will be going against a club that he has owned in the past. In six career starts against the ‘Stros, the 29-year-old southpaw owns a 2-1 record and an impressive 2.70 ERA.
The 29-year-old McHugh hasn’t had a memorable season after posting two straight incredible campaigns, but he is still more than capable of spinning a gem any time he takes the mound. In four career starts versus the Birds, the Illinois native has registered a 1-1 record and a 4.74 ERA.
Chris Tillman (15-4, 3.46 ERA) will take the mound versus Mike Fiers (8-6, 4.66 ERA) in Saturday night’s contest.
Tillman’s projected outing versus Boston was pushed back to Saturday after dealing with some shoulder discomfort, but the Orioles ace seems to be fine for the home stretch. Tillman owns a stellar 8-1 record at Camden Yards this season with a 3.74 ERA.
In five starts versus Houston, the Anaheim native has registered a 2-2 record with an outstanding 2.48 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.
Fiers, 31, has seen a decline in form lately and owns a 1-2 record and a 6.32 ERA over his last three outings, while the Nova Southeastern University alum has also registered a 2-3 record with a 6.32 ERA on the road this season.
The Floridian hurler will be making his first career start versus Baltimore this weekend. Here’s to it not being another no-hitter…
Yovani Gallardo (4-4, 5.18 ERA) will square off against 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel (7-12, 4.76 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.
Gallardo’s 2016 season has been nothing short of a roller coaster, but he goes into a clash against a club that he’s beaten more than anyone in his career. Over 21 career starts versus Houston, Gallardo has posted a spectacular 15-4 record with an impressive 3.11 ERA.
Keuchel, 28, has fallen way short of repeating his remarkable 2015 campaign this season, and his form seems to be heading in the wrong direction as well. Over his last three starts, the Arkansas alum owns a 1-2 record and a 6.16 ERA.
In four starts versus the Orioles, the Astros ace boasts a 1-2 record along with a rock-solid 3.46 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.
As we head towards September, the Astros are still in wild card contention and have their pitching staff to thank for it. Houston’s pitching staff ranks in the top five in the AL in total ERA (3rd), K’s (2nd), WHIP (5th) and OBP (5th), while the ‘Stros bullpen ranks first in the AL in K’s (439), WHIP (1.12) and OBP (.284) & third in BAA (.236) and ERA (3.34).
On the opposite side of the spectrum, Houston’s offense can be stifled if the O’s find a way to shut down the three-headed monster consisting of 26-year-old megastar second baseman Jose Altuve (.364, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 26 SB), rising 21-year-old superstar shortstop Carlos Correa (.274, 18 HR, 82 RBI) and the Astros ever-dangerous heavy-hitter George Springer (.256, 23 HR, 68 RBI).
After the letdown of a series versus Boston, the Orioles shouldn’t be lacking in the ‘’motivation’’ category. They need wins, and they need momentum.
Here’s to what should be an exciting series!
And with the Nationals coming to town directly after Houston, followed by a trip to the Bronx and a return home to take on the Blue Jays, here’s to the Orioles chalking up a few much-needed notches in the win column before embarking on a brutal six-week stretch to end the season.
Grab a seat, folks; this roller coaster of a season is about to get crazy…
