O's game blog: Tyler Wilson makes his first major league start in doubleheader opener

After taking two of three games from the first-place Houston Astros, the Orioles host the Chicago White Sox for a doubleheader here this afternoon at Camden Yards.

Houston was 11-4 in one-run games when the series in Baltimore started, but lost both one-run games in the series.

Chris Davis hit two homers in last night's win, his first multi-homer game this year and eighth of his career. His last was a three-homer game last May 20 at Pittsburgh.

For the Orioles, it was their fifth three-homer game of the year as Steve Pearce also connected. Their last three-homer game was May 11 versus Toronto. Before last night, the Orioles had hit three homers total over their previous seven games.

Now, the 20-24 Chicago White Sox are in town for one day and a makeup doubleheader. The Orioles beat Chicago 8-2 on April 29 after the first two games of that series were postponed until today.

The O's went 5-1 against Chicago last year and are 16-6 since 2012, including a 9-3 home mark in that time versus the ChiSox.

Chicago beat Toronto 5-3 last night to end a four-game losing skid. But overall, Chicago has lost seven of nine games and has scored three runs or less in eight of its past 10 games.

Jimmy Paredes went 2-for-4 Wednesday night with a double, run scored and stolen base. For Paredes, 17 of his 48 hits have been for extra-bases. With his double in the fourth inning, he set a single-season career-high with nine doubles (surpassing his mark of eight, set in 2011).

After collecting 11 hits, the Orioles have now registered 10 or more hits in 15 games this season (with a 9-6 record in those games).

On the mound in the opener today, Tyler Wilson (1-0, 4.50 ERA) faces lefty Chris Sale (3-2, 4.21 ERA). Wilson went 2-4 with a 3.29 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Norfolk. Today, he makes his first major league start following two relief appearances.

Sale had an ERA of 5.93 after his first five starts, but has an ERA of 2.25 his past three starts with a .146 average against.

In nine career games versus the Orioles, he is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA, allowing five home runs over 21 1/3 innings.

In Game 2, Mike Wright (1-0, 0.00 ERA) faces Chris Beck, a 24-year-old right-hander who will be making his major league debut.

Wright has not allowed a run over 14 1/3 innings in his first two big league starts. Opponent batters are hitting just .146 (7-for-48) against him.

Orioles starting pitchers have gone seven innings or more in nine of the last 13 games. In that stretch, the club's rotation ERA is 3.38. Meanwhile, the O's bullpen has pitched to an ERA of 2.10 the past 10 games.

Beck went 3-2 with a 3.30 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A Charlotte. Left-handed batters hit just .197 against while right-handed batters hit .282 versus Beck in the minors this year.

Wilson and Wright are the last two winners of the Jim Palmer award, which goes to the Orioles minor league Pitcher of the Year. Wright won the honor in 2013, and Wilson last year.