O's game blog: Birds try to improve on non-AL East record against Houston

Now that the Orioles are playing well with a record of 13-8 against the American League East, they will try to win a few series outside of the division.

It's not like they haven't done that. They swept a doubleheader against Pittsburgh. But the Orioles lost two of three to Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota.

They went 0-3 in those series and 5-2-1 in the other eight series they've played.

After coming off their sweep against Tampa Bay, and with six wins the last eight games, the Orioles host Houston this weekend. At 11-24, the Astros have the worst record in baseball.

Houston ended a five-game losing streak Thursday and is 2-8-1 in its series this year. They've lost seven of their last nine games.

Tonight's pitching matchup features Wei-Yin Chen (3-2, 4.24 ERA) against former O's right-hander Scott Feldman (2-1, 1.69 ERA).

Feldman was 2-0 with an ERA of 0.44 over his first three starts before giving up five runs in six innings in his last start April 17 against Kansas City. The next day, he went on disabled list with right biceps tendinitis. He returns from the DL tonight.

As for Chen, after pitching to an ERA of 6.75 in his first two 2014 starts, he is 2-1 with an ERA of 3.09 over his last four starts.

The 18-14 Orioles have won their last seven games decided by one or two runs and are 7-3 in one-run games and 4-3 in two-run games.

Homer notes: The home runs are slowly starting to come for the Orioles. Steve Pearce and Manny Machado hit solo shots in the third tonight to take a 2-1 lead on Houston.

Just a few days ago, the Orioles were 12th in the AL in homers. They began tonight eighth with 27.

They have now homered in five straight games, hitting eight in that span, counting tonight. They've homered in nine of the last 10 games, hitting 13 in that time.

The longball looks to be back for the Orioles.