Notes before today's game

Today's game is a sellout. Tickets remain for Sunday's series finale, which also closes the first half. Yes, it's considered the first half despite the fact that Orioles are playing their 95th game today. The Orioles are only the third team in major league history to have four players with at least 105 hits at the All-Star break: Manny Machado (127), Adam Jones (114), Nick Markakis (107) and Chris Davis (105). The 1954 Cardinals had Red Schoendienst (119), Wally Moon (114), Ray Jablonski (109) and Stan Musial (107), and the 1969 Reds had Bobby Tolan (125), Tony Perez (122), Lee May (112) and Pete Rose (111). Last night marked the first time in Orioles history that they hit three multi-run homers against the same left-hander (Mark Buehrle) in the same game. It also was the first time since Aug. 4, 1987 that they scored eight runs or more in a game with all the runs coming on multi-run homers. Jones has at least three official at-bats in the last 182 games, the longest active streak in baseball and the longest in Orioles history. The Orioles have homered in 15 straight games against the American League East, one shy of the franchise record since divisional play started in 1969. They set the mark on May 18-June 24, 1979. With two more victories, Buck Showalter will become the fourth manager in major league history to win 250 or more games with four different teams. Joe Torre won 250 or more with five, while Gene Mauch and Dick Williams did it with four. Showalter won 313 with the Yankees, 250 with the Diamondbacks and 319 with the Rangers. Lots of good stuff from STATS today. With an assist from Orioles PR for looking it up and passing it along.