After banking a crucial series win in Detroit to remain in the driver’s seat in the wild card chase, the Orioles will be looking to do some damage against the first-place Red Sox over the next three games at Fenway Park.
The Orioles (78-64) are now tied with Toronto for second in the AL East and find themselves just two games behind the Red Sox for first in the division. After winning six of their first nine games this month, the Orioles have also gained a two-game advantage over the Tigers and Yankees and a three-game advantage over the Astros for the second and final wild card spot in the AL.
The Red Sox (80-62) haven’t been in first place for long, but they’ve been on a warpath for quite some time. The Sox own an impressive 38-26 record since July 1st and have posted a 30-24 mark in the second half of the season thus far.
In comparison, the Orioles are 29-33 since July 1st and have registered a 27-28 clip in the second half.
After taking three of the last four contests, Boston has leveled the season series with the Orioles at 6-6. However, the Orioles have won four or six at Fenway this year and boast a stellar 30-23 record in Red Sox territory since the start of the 2011 season.
Just like in Motown over the weekend, there is an intense three-game storm brewing in Boston right now. Throw in two division rivals facing off in the middle of a playoff chase, and you have an instant recipe for fireworks.
Wade Miley (8-12, 5.49 ERA) will take on southpaw David Price (15-8, 3.87 ERA) in the series opener on Monday.
Miley hasn’t quite settled in Baltimore yet and has registered a 1-4 record with a dreadful 7.15 ERA since joining the club at the deadline. However, maybe Miley will be looking to dish out some revenge in his first career start versus Boston after the Red Sox gave up on the former All-Star just one year into his contract last offseason.
Price, 31, has been phenomenal over his last six starts, going a perfect 6-0 with a superb 2.14 ERA. Over 22 career starts versus the Orioles, the five-time All-Star has gone 9-5 with an impressive 2.87 ERA amd 1.16 WHIP.
Dylan Bundy (8-5, 3.82 ERA) will take the mound against Drew Pomeranz (10-11, 3.01 ERA) in the middle game of the series on Tuesday.
Bundy has seen a dip in form recently and owns a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA over his last three outings, but the Orioles 23-year-old rookie is still tied for fourth among rookies with 80+ innings in wins (8) and ranks eighth in ERA (3.82).
Over five games (one start) versus Boston, Bundy has registered a 0-1 record with a 6.10 ERA.
While Pomeranz has seen his form dip slightly since making the All-Star team as a member of the Padres, the 27-year-old still owns a 2-4 record with a 3.97 ERA over ten starts with the Red Sox and is coming off a stellar month of August in which he went 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA over six starts.
The Ole Miss alum will be making his first career start versus the Orioles on Tuesday. In three games as a reliever, Pomeranz owns a 1.93 ERA over 4 2/3 innings against the Birds.
Kevin Gausman (7-10, 3.61 ERA) will get the nod against Red Sox ace Rick Porcello (20-3, 3.21 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.
The Orioles’ 25-year-old budding star has been majestic over his last five starts, going a perfect 4-0 with an outstanding 1.99 ERA. Along with his current tear, Gausman has been on fire for the entire second half of the season so far and owns a 6-4 record with a stellar 2.89 ERA over 11 starts post All-Star break.
In 12 games (seven starts) versus Boston, Gausman has registered a 2-3 record along with a 4.74 ERA.
Porcello on the other hand, may run away with the AL CY Young award this season after becoming the first pitcher to reach to 20-win plateau last week. The 27-year-old ace also boasts a remarkable 14-0 record at Fenway Park on the year and a sparkling 11-1 mark since the beginning of July.
In 13 career starts versus Baltimore, Porcello owns a 3-7 record and a subpar 5.61 ERA.
Just like in the Motor City over the weekend, the Orioles-Red Sox clash will feature two of the finest offenses around in the entire league, as the Orioles lead the majors with 225 HR and the Sox lead the majors with 790 runs scored (5.5 per game).
2016 HR king Mark Trumbo (.251, 41 HR, 99 RBI), super slugger Chris Davis (.227, 36 HR, 80 RBI), Captain Adam Jones .281, 27 HR, 80 RBI) and superstar Manny Machado .307, 34 HR, 90 RBI) make up the core of the Orioles super-slugging offense, while the usual suspects remain in place up in Boston.
Ten-Time All-Star slugger David Ortiz (.315, 32 HR, 110 RBI), four-time All-Star Dustin Pedroia (.329, 13 HR, 65 RBI), and three-time All-Star Hanley Ramirez (.285, 23 HR, 94 RBI) are joined by future superstars Mookie Betts (.314, 30 HR, 102 RBI), Xander Bogaerts (.299, 18 HR, 83 RBI) and Jackie Bradley Jr (.274, 24 HR, 83 RBI) in the heart of MLB’s most dangerous offense.
There won’t be any shortage of sparks flying in Boston, that’s for sure.
Seriously, what gets better than seeing a Orioles-Red Sox clash for division supremacy in the middle of September?
