Orioles continue to keep us guessing

BOSTON - If anyone has figured out the Orioles this summer, please step to the front of the class and start explaining.

They struggle with the last-place Athletics and bulldoze the first-place Red Sox. They've been so-so at home in the second half and so good at Fenway Park. A win today would produce their first three-game sweep in Boston since September 2014.

The wild card race that they had seemed to ditch is back in play, with the Orioles trailing the Twins by two games for the second spot.

Yesterday marked the fourth time this season that the Orioles scored at least five runs in a single inning against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, which the Elias Sports Bureau says hasn't happened in the same year since 1984 at the latest.

The offense can disappear in the blink of an eye, but it's tallied at least 10 hits in seven of the last 11 games while producing a .297 average. The Orioles lead the majors with 71 home runs since the break and they lead the American League with 46 this month.

Jonathan Schoop's 95 RBIs this season make him the Orioles' all-time single-season leader among second basemen, putting him one ahead of Roberto Alomar. I guessed that Bobby Grich was third, but it's Delino DeShields with 86 in 2000.

Grich (1974) and Schoop (2016) are fourth with 82. I still haven't recovered from Grich's free-agent defection to the Angels.

Brian Roberts had 79 in 2009 and 73 in 2005, and Davey Johnson had 72 in 1971. I still haven't recovered from Johnson's trade to the Braves, though it was done to make room for Grich.

Mark McLemore also had 72 in 1993.

Left-hander Wade Miley has registered quality starts in two of his last three outings. He hasn't gone back-to-back since stringing together three in a row since April 14-25.

Miley faced the Red Sox on June 1 at Camden Yards and allowed one run over seven innings. In two career starts, he's registered a 7.56 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in 8 1/3 innings.

By doing the math, we can deduce that Miley's first outing was horrendous.

He pitched at Fenway Park on Sept. 12 and gave up six runs and eight hits in 1 1/3 innings in a 12-2 loss. No home runs among the eight hits.

Chris Young will be in the lineup today. He's 6-for-15 (.400) with two doubles against Miley.

Hanley Ramirez is 6-for-28 (.214) with a double and home run.

Doug Fister is 3-6 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.424 WHIP in 11 games (eight starts) since joining the Red Sox. Right-handers are hitting .196 against him, but left-handers are hitting .311.

Manager Buck Showalter will give Ryan Flaherty a start based on the utility player's numbers at Fenway Park and Fister's issues with left-handed hitters. That's my bold prediction for the morning.

How about Flaherty in left field and Seth Smith in right?

Flaherty is hitless in two at-bats against Fister. Smith is only 3-for-16, but he's homered twice.

Chris Davis is 5-for-15 with two home runs, Adam Jones is 6-for-20 and Manny Machado is 4-for-8 with two home runs.

Fister has three quality starts in four outings since getting back into the rotation, holding the Indians to one run and one hit Tuesday night while going the distance. Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff home run. That was it.

The Orioles have shown past interest in Fister, along with some apprehension about his health, but they didn't make a play for him before the Red Sox signed him off waivers in June. He's 4-2 with a 4.47 ERA and 1.272 WHIP against them over nine games (eight starts).