O's game blog: Ubaldo Jiménez on mound in series finale

If the Orioles can beat Detroit at Camden Yards this afternoon, they will pull within one game of the .500 mark at 55-56. They would also split this four-game series and complete a 5-2 homestand. It would be a nice way to head to the west coast for a 10-game trip beginning Monday night.

Coming off back-to-back solid outings, right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (4-7, 6.56 ERA) gets the start today. In his past two outings against Tampa Bay and Kansas City, Jiménez pitched 13 innings, allowing eight hits and three runs with four walks and 15 strikeouts. Jiménez went seven innings Monday against the Royals, allowing five hits and one run on 100 pitches. In the two previous starts before his past two, Jiménez gave up 21 hits and 12 runs over nine combined innings.

He allows a first-inning ERA of 5.82, a second-inning ERA of 11.65 with a .365 batting average, and a third-inning ERA of 5.00. Lefty batters are hitting .289 against him and right-handed batters are hitting .258. He yields a .292 average when pitching with runners in scoring position.

Jiménez has made 22 career starts against Detroit. He is 6-12 with an ERA of 5.63 and WHIP of 1.545.

Right-hander Anibal Sanchez (3-1, 5.83 ERA) will make his 20th appearance and ninth start for the Tigers. On the year over 66 1/3 innings, he has given up 80 hits, including 14 home runs, with 19 walks, 59 strikeouts and a .294 batting average against.

In his eight starts, he has four quality starts and is 3-1 with a 4.37 ERA. In 10 road games (four starts), Sanchez is 2-0 with a 5.35 ERA. The 33-year-old out of Venezuela went 7-13 with a 5.87 ERA over 35 games in the 2016 season. In five career starts versus Baltimore, he is 2-2 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.345 WHIP.

Zach Britton got the last four outs in last night's 5-2 win. Britton converted his 58th consecutive save opportunity, extending the American League record. It was his ninth save of this year and his first multi-inning save since Sept. 13, 2016 at Boston.

Adam Jones hit his 20th home run Saturday night. He has hit 20 or more for seven consecutive seasons. That ranks third in Orioles history behind Cal Ripken Jr. (10, 1982-91) and Eddie Murray (9, 1977-85). Jones' seven total seasons of at least 20 home runs ranks fourth in Orioles history (Ripken 12, Murray 11, Boog Powell 8). Jones has 32 multi-hit games, second-most on the team. He is batting .357 (10-for-28) in six games against Detroit this season and is a career .337 (91-for-270) hitter against the Tigers.

Tim Beckham is 9-for-12 the last three games and has homered in three straight for the first time in his career. In five games since his trade to the Orioles, Beckham is batting .650 (13-for-20) with three doubles, a triple, three homers and five RBIs.