How big is the Houston series for the Orioles?

So will the real second-half Orioles please stand up? We've seen them get swept by the Cubs and outscored 27-11. Then we saw them sweep four from Texas by a total score of 34-11.

That brings us to tonight, when the Orioles play Houston, a team with a 63-32 record and .663 winning percentage. They are running away with the American League West, leading by 16 games. At 54-43, Boston has the second-best record in the AL and they are 10 games behind Houston. The Astros are the class of the league.

Some are looking at this weekend as big for the Orioles. If they win this series, maybe they have turned a corner and perhaps they can and will get back in the wild card race, and maybe even still have a pulse in the AL East. If they lose this series or get swept, maybe it's time to end all of talk of contending this year.

That's a big swing based on just three games.

We are all curious to see how the Orioles fare this weekend. But we may not have a decisive answer on the rest of the season come Sunday night. While winning this series would keep the Orioles pointed in the right direction, it won't mean they have what it takes to make the playoffs. One series seldom shows us that. But teams do build off series wins and this would be a big one for the Orioles, if they can get it.

What we don't know is how team management views this weekend. Are they looking at it to provide a clearer direction on the remaining days leading up to the trade deadline? Is the buy or sell question riding on this weekend?

The Astros offense leads the major leagues in runs (558), hits (956), doubles (212), homers (155), batting average (.289), on-base percentage (.355), slugging percentage (.498) and OPS (.853).

Can a struggling Ubaldo Jiménez (4-5, 7.01 ERA) hold those bats in check tonight? Since he pitched that spectacular game in Toronto on June 29, throwing eight scoreless innings, Jiménez has an ERA of 9.88 in his past three starts. On paper, this is not a good matchup for the Orioles tonight. With Chris Tillman and Dylan Bundy going the next two days, the Orioles may have a shot at this series if they get good Ubaldo tonight.

The Orioles looked like a beaten team when the Cubs left town. Then they pumped some life back into their season over the last four days.

Can they keep it going against Houston?