O's game blog: It's Norris against House tonight at the Yard

Bud Norris has been pitching well for the Orioles and wants to continue that trend tonight as the Birds host Cleveland in Game 2 of a four-game series. Norris is 2-4 with a 3.58 ERA over eight starts. He has gone over seven innings in each of his last two outings. He went 7 2/3 frames, allowing four runs against Detroit and gave up one run over 7 1/3 innings in his last start against Kansas City. After pitching to an ERA of 4.44 his first four starts, that number is 2.77 his past four with a .207 average against. Norris has given up a .236 batting average versus lefty batters, a .234 average against right-handers and a .143 average when pitching with runners in scoring position - some solid numbers across the board. T.J. House, a 24-year-old lefty, makes his first major league start for Cleveland. He was called up from Triple-A Columbus yesterday. House recently made his big league debut, pitching a 1-2-3 inning against Oakland on May 17. In seven starts in the minors, he was 1-2 with a 2.40 ERA that ranked ninth best in the International League. On April 29, he pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the O's Norfolk affiliate, allowing eight hits. With 12 or more hits tonight, the Orioles would have five straight games of at least 12 for the first time since they had a club-record seven in a row from May 26-June 1, 2004. Maybe they can win tonight for their skipper. Buck Showalter turns 58 today. Thought on Cruz and his homers: Nelson Cruz seems on his way to putting up a big homer number this year. He hit No. 15 tonight, a solo shot in the second inning. He is not far behind Chris Davis and his pace from last season. Davis had 19 at the end of May in 2013 and Cruz has nine games left this month. Also, he is homering at a greater pace on the road so far and as the weather warms here in Baltimore, the ball will really begin to carry at the Yard. This was Cruz's sixth Camden Yards homer in 72 at-bats for one every 12 at-bats. He has nine in 101 road at-bats, or one every 11.2.