A look at run differentials and pitching stats in this series

Wouldn't it be fitting that during a season where the Orioles were scrutinized (some would say overly so) for their run differential, that they win this series with fewer runs scored than the Yankees. That is quite possible as the series score right now is New York 13, Baltimore 9. Yes, the O's are in the negative again. Ask them if they care. Here is the stat that some don't know or care to look at. The Orioles played their best baseball late in the year. They went 38-20 from Aug. 1 to the end of the regular season with a plus-58 differential. They were a plus-50 in September alone. Buck and luck? Hardly. Meanwhile, the pitching stats in this series are impressive and the hitting stats are, well, really, really, bad. Some of the big guns on both teams have been coming up short. Did the Orioles expect that Raul Ibanez and Russell Martin would have the key swings against them while Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano would be a combined 5-for-50? Did the Yankees figure that Ryan Flaherty, Manny Machado and Nate McLouth would homer against them while Adam Jones and Matt Wieters went 4-for-36 with no homers or RBIs? The Orioles can't ask for any more from their pitchers - a 2.12 postseason ERA and 2.36 ERA in this series. The Orioles' starters have pitched to an ERA of 1.82 in the ALDS. In the last three games of this series, the O's bullpen has a 1.29 ERA. The Yankees' ERA is 1.93 in this series. The two teams are a combined 2-for-28 with runners in scoring position these last two games. By the way, CC Sabathia was 16-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 22 career starts vs. the Orioles before this year. In 2012, he is 1-2 with an ERA of 5.00 in four starts. But he did pitch well in getting the Game 1 win. In 17 career postseason games, Sabathia is 8-4 with a 4.56 ERA. The Orioles are now 2-0 this year in games where they had to win or their season would be over. If they can make that 3-0, they'll be heading to Detroit later tonight for the American League Championship Series.