O's game blog: Miley on the mound as O's go for sweep

The Orioles go for a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees and a 5-0 start this afternoon at Camden Yards. They produced back-to-back comebacks in the first two games of the series.

The Orioles trailed 5-1 in the fifth inning Friday and came back to win 6-5. They trailed 4-1 in the fifth last night and won 5-4. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the fourth time that the Orioles have won back-to-back games against the Yankees by overcoming a deficit of at least three runs in each game. The Orioles also produced such back-to-back victories in August 1962, September 1982 and June 1993.

During their 4-0 start, the Orioles have won three one-run games and one by two runs. They've got a plus-five run differential, but a perfect record.

Wade Miley, activated today from the disabled list, makes his 2017 season debut this afternoon. Between the Mariners and Orioles last year, Miley went 9-13 with a career-worst 5.37 ERA. In 11 starts with the Orioles, he went 2-5 with a 6.17 ERA and the club went 4-7. But he pitched well in his last three 2016 starts, working to an ERA of 1.92 with two walks and 23 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings.

From 2012-2015, Miley pitched 190 innings or more each year with an ERA of 4.46 or lower each season. The Orioles are hoping for more of that this season.

His mound opponent today is 38-year-old lefty CC Sabathia. Last year, he went 9-12 with a 3.91 ERA over 179 2/3 innings. Sabathia made his season debut on Tuesday at Tampa Bay. He threw five scoreless innings, allowing three hits with two walks and two strikeouts on 85 pitches.

Sabathia is one of three Yankees pitchers since 1967 to have made at least one start for nine consecutive seasons. The others are Ron Guidry (1977-1988) and Andy Pettitte (1995-2003).

In five starts against Baltimore last season, he went 1-3 with a 2.30 ERA and .235 average against. In 38 career starts versus the Orioles, Sabathia is 19-10 with a 3.31 ERA.

The Orioles have won 10 straight home series against the Yankees and seven of the last nine games. At home, they are 8-3 in their last 11 and 22-7 against New York since the start of the 2014 season.