O's game blog: Wei-Yin Chen faces Ivan Nova in Game 1

There are a few things to play for in the remaining three games of the season for the Orioles. For one, they could still avoid a losing season, but they would have to beat the Yankees three times over the next two days to finish 81-81.

Also, if the Orioles were to sweep this three-game series, they would win the season series two straight years against New York for the first time since O's teams did that from 1980-82. They went 13-6 against New York last year and are 7-9 in 2015.

The Yankees (87-72) clinched an American League wild card berth with a win Thursday night against Boston that was also the 10,000th win in franchise history. New York will finish first or second in the AL East for the 21st time in the last 23 seasons since 1993.

New York has hit a club-record 47 homers producing three or more runs, with 40 three-run homers and seven grand slams. The next closest team with homers producing three or more runs is Toronto, with 18 fewer at 29.

The Orioles are 4-2 at home against New York this season and 10-3 in their last 13 at Camden Yards versus the Yankees since July 13, 2014. The Orioles have out-homered the Yankees 25-18 in the season series this year.

Caleb Joseph is batting .395 (15-for-38) against New York this year with two homers, six RBIs and a 1.094 OPS. Jimmy Paredes is batting .400 (16-for-40) with two homers, six RBIs and a 1.092 OPS. Manny Machado is batting .339 (21-for-62) with four homers, 10 RBIs and an OPS of 1.019. In the last two games against Toronto, Machado went 4-for-8 with three homers and four RBIs.

In Game 1 today, Wei-Yin Chen (10-8, 3.35 ERA) pitches against right-hander Ivan Nova (6-10, 4.89 ERA).

Chen has allowed two runs or less his last three starts, going 2-1 with a 2.29 ERA. In 13 second-half starts, he is 6-3 with a 4.18 ERA. In four 2015 starts against New York, Chen is 1-1 with a 3.70 ERA.

Nova is 0-3 with an ERA of 6.91 his past three starts and 1-6 in his last seven decisions. In 14 career games against the Orioles, Nova is 6-3 with a 4.89 ERA.

In tonight's game, Ubaldo Jimenez (12-10, 4.10 ERA) is scheduled to face 21-year-old right-hander Luis Severino (5-3, 2.77 ERA). Jimenez is 3-1 with an ERA of 2.93 in five starts since Sept. 1. Severino, the youngest pitcher to start in the majors in 2015, is 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA over his past three starts.