Orioles begin homestand with four games vs. White Sox

TAMPA - The Orioles begin a 10-game, 11-day homestand tonight with rain naturally in the forecast. Same with much of the weekend. It's become more of a Maryland tradition than crab cakes, Old Bay and snow panic.

There will be windows, of course, and the forecast can change hourly. The Orioles already have to make up two games that were postponed and aren't looking to bump up the total.

The White Sox are the first opponent on the homestand, and they're back here for the one-year anniversary of the no-fan game on April 29, 2015. The Orioles scored six runs in the first inning and won 8-2.

There will be more time for reflection on Friday, though it's a topic that the Orioles aren't comfortable rehashing. It was never about them and they'd prefer to keep it that way.

The teams split the season series 3-3, marking the seventh consecutive year that the Orioles avoided the losing end. They're 31-20 against the White Sox since 2009, but they're playing the team with the best record in the American League.

"I know they're doing well," said manager Buck Showalter. "That's to be expected. They've got a good pitching staff. They've made some really good additions in the offseason, too. I was watching them from afar. Good bullpen. Once again, a good challenge.

"They're a good team. They're healthy, too. They've got a lot of good weapons. I really like their rotation."

Tyler Wilson made his first major league start on May 28 in the first game of a single-admission doubleheader and allowed two runs over six innings in a 3-2 loss at Camden Yards. Tonight marks his second start of the 2016 season, following an outing in Kansas City where he permitted three runs and six hits over five innings.

In his brief major league career, Wilson is 0-1 with a 1.59 ERA in four home games, including two starts. He's 2-1 with a 4.38 ERA in five road games, including three starts.

The current batch of White Sox hitters are 2-for-11 versus Wilson. Melky Cabrera is 1-for-3 with a double and RBI. Pitch around him!

John Danks is the first of three left-handers opposing the Orioles in the four-game series. He's 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.615 WHIP in three starts.

Danks is 6-5 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.190 WHIP in 13 career starts against the Orioles spanning 80 2/3 innings. He's 1-2 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.180 WHIP in five starts at Camden Yards covering 29 2/3 innings.

If Showalter is interested in giving Adam Jones a night off, this would be the ideal time. He's 1-for-33 with a walk and eight strikeouts against Danks.

J.J. Hardy is 9-for-25 with four doubles and a home run, Nolan Reimold is 8-for-19 with a double, triple and home run, Matt Wieters is 6-for-27 with two doubles and two home runs, and Chris Davis is 3-for-17 with a home run.