After splitting a pair of high-scoring, one-run games in this series, the Orioles host Detroit again tonight at Camden Yards. The Tigers won 9-8 Friday and the O's posted an 8-7 win last night. They came from 6-0 behind in their largest comeback win of 2015.
The Orioles (52-50) will try to go three games over .500 tonight for the first time since they were 43-40 on July 6. The Orioles are 6-1 in their past seven games.
Buck Showalter now has 1,311 career managerial wins. He needs two more to tie Hall of Famer Ned Hanlon for 31st place all-time at 1,313.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy enters tonight's game with a 14-game hitting streak, hitting .294 (15-for-51) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs. He has hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games. Hardy also ranks second on the team and is tied for 22nd in the American League with a .318 average with runners in scoring position this season.
Adam Jones has nine multi-hit games over his past 15 games. He is batting .349 in that stretch, with five homers and nine RBIs. In this series, he is 4-for-8 with two homers and five RBIs.
Tonight marks the Orioles debut of outfielder Gerardo Parra, who is batting second and playing left field. Since June 11, Parra is batting .390, the top mark in the majors (with a minimum of 139 plate appearances.) He is batting .460 during his current 14-game hitting streak.
"You've seen his numbers," Jones said of Parra. "We're going to see what he can do over here in the East. He plays the game with passion. Time will tell how he does over here. We just hope he continues what he has been doing."
The O's also have a new pitcher in their bullpen. As Mike Wright went on the disabled list today with a strained lef calf, right-hander Jorge Rondon was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. The 27-year-old right-hander from Venezuela went 2-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 24 games for the Tides. The Orioles claimed him on waivers May 10 from Colorado.
"I'm very happy for this opportunity," Rondon said. "I was surprised to get the call. Heard about it last night and was surprised. I didn't know if I'd be staying in Norfolk. Been throwing my fastball and slider well and my two-seamer with confidence."
On the mound tonight, Kevin Gausman (1-2, 4.20 ERA) faces right-hander Anibal Sanchez (10-8, 4.61 ERA). Gausman will be making his sixth big league start of the season.
Gausman is winless his last 12 starts, dating to last Aug. 17. Since then he is 0-5 with a 3.65 ERA. The Orioles are 3-9 in those games, but they scored three runs or less in nine of those games. The Orioles have scored just four runs while he has been in the game in Gausman's five starts this season.
Gausman threw a career-high 7 2/3 innings without allowing a run Monday against Atlanta. He has thrown two scoreless starts in his last four outings.
Sanchez is 3-4 with an ERA of 4.27 in seven road starts and 4-1 with a 4.55 ERA in five starts in July. In three career starts versus the Orioles, he is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA. Parra is a career .571 hitter (8-for-14) against Sanchez.
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