O's game blog: O's face former teammate Miguel González in series opener

The Orioles have finally moved into a stretch of the season where they will face some non-American League East opponents. But that doesn't necessarily mean their schedule gets easier.

After playing 24 of the first 27 within the division (and going 15-9), their next seven games are against the Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals. Both teams currently reside in first place in their respective divisions.

The Orioles host the White Sox for three games this weekend at Camden Yards. Chicago is 15-12 and tied with Cleveland for the AL Central lead. Both teams are a half-game ahead of Minnesota with Detroit one game back. So, yeah, pretty close in that division. Chicago is 8-3 over its past 11 games

The Orioles have not lost a season series to the White Sox since 2008, going 6-0-2 over the past eight years. At Camden Yards, Chicago has lost 10 of its last 15 and 12 of its last 18 games. The O's won the season series 4-3 last season.

The White Sox lead the major leagues with a 3.19 ERA and have held the opposition to three runs or less 15 times in 2017. That 15-game total allowing three or less runs is tied for the second-most in the major leagues, behind Boston with 16. White Sox pitchers have limited opponents to a .199 average with runners in scoring position, the second-lowest mark in the majors.

Meanwhile, the Chicago offense has scored 65 runs (5.9 per game) in the last 11 games, and recorded 10-plus hits six times during that span. Avisaíl García leads the American League with a .371 average and ranks among the leaders in hits (third, 36), RBIs (tied for fourth, 23), OBP (fifth, .419), OPS (fifth, 1.017) and slugging (eighth, .598).

On the mound tonight, Orioles left-hander Wade Miley (1-1, 2.32 ERA) pitches against former Oriole Miguel González (3-1, 3.27 ERA).

This is Miley's sixth start. He has allowed two runs or less four times and gave up three runs the other start. He has three quality starts and the Orioles are 3-2 when he pitches.

Over his last eight starts for Baltimore, dating to last Sept. 18, Miley is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA and .208 batting average against.

González has three quality starts and the White Sox are 4-1 in his five games. He pitched to an ERA of 2.00 in his first four starts. But Sunday against Detroit, he gave up seven runs (six earned) on 14 hits in six innings.

González went 39-33 with a 3.82 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 417 strikeouts over 101 appearances (95 starts/53 quality starts) with the Orioles from 2012-15. He went 17-14 with a 3.94 ERA in 46 games (43 starts) at Oriole Park. This is his first start at Camden Yards as the O's opponent. In his only previous career starts versus the Orioles, he took the loss last Aug. 5 in Chicago. Over six innings, he gave up 10 hits and four runs (three earned).

The Orioles need a win tonight to stay a half-game back of the first-place Yankees (18-9). They trailed the Chicago Cubs 2-0 in the ninth this afternoon and went ahead and won 3-2 on Brett Gardner's two-out three-run homer on a 2-2 pitch.

Minor league awards: The Orioles today named Single-A Delmarva outfielder Jake Ring their minor league Player of the Month for April. Double-A Bowie lefty John Means was named Pitcher of the Month.

The 22-year-old Ring was drafted in round 31 last year out of the University of Missouri. He batted .359/.419/.667 over 21 games in the month with nine doubles, three triples, three home runs and 19 RBIs. He also scored 15 runs, stole six bases on seven attempts and recorded three outfield assists.

An 11th-round pick in 2014 out of West Virginia, Means posted a 1-1 record with a 1.40 ERA over five starts during the month. He gave up two earned runs or less in all five of his starts.

Means put together a streak of 12 2/3 scoreless innings and turned in back-to-back scoreless starts from April 19-25, his first set of consecutive scoreless starts since July 6-12, 2014 with short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He ranks third in the Eastern League with a 1.40 ERA.