O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces Boston in road trip opener

The Orioles begin a three-city, nine-game road trip tonight at Boston's Fenway Park. The Orioles begin the night at 4-1 and leading the American League East by a half-game over Tampa Bay (5-3) and by 1 1/2 games over Boston (3-3).

Tonight's pitching matchup features right-hander Dylan Bundy (1-0, 1.29 ERA) against left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who is making his season debut. Pomeranz, acquired last year in a deal with San Diego, has been on the disabled list with a left forearm injury and comes off the DL tonight to make this start.

The 28-year-old Pomeranz went 11-12 with an ERA of 3.32 last season between the Padres and Red Sox. With Boston, he went 3-5 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.369 WHIP in 14 games (13 starts). He was prone to the home run ball, allowing 14 over 68 2/3 innings with Boston.

In his only 2016 start versus Baltimore, he gave up five runs on four hits in just two innings last Sept. 13. J.J. Hardy and Nolan Reimold homered in that game. In four career games against the Orioles, he is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA, permitting six runs over 6 2/3 innings.

Bundy gets a big test tonight against one of the majors' best-hitting teams. The Red Sox offense hasn't gotten cranked up yet this season, scoring 22 runs on a .240 average through six games.

But Boston led the majors with 878 runs scored in 2016, the 10th-highest single-season total in franchise history. The Red Sox scored five or more runs 93 times, most in the major leagues, and went 78-15 (.839) in such games on their way to the American League East championship.

Bundy went 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.950 WHIP in six games (three starts) versus Boston last season. The Red Sox hit .344/.404/.611 against him and he allowed six homers over 20 innings.

Bundy made a strong 2017 season debut when he went seven innings on four hits and one run last Wednesday in a win over Toronto. He tied his career highs with seven innings and 99 pitches.

Bundy got the victory against the Blue Jays and that was his ninth win in 15 career starts for the Orioles. That ties Bundy with three other pitchers for the most wins in a pitcher's first 15 major league starts in club history.

Here are the other three pitchers and the dates they won nine of their first 15 starts:

* Miguel Gonzalez from July 6, 2012 to Oct. 2, 2012
* Jim Hardin from July 23, 1967 to April 13, 1968
* Wally Bunker from Sept. 29, 1963 to July 13, 1964

Bundy is now 9-5 with a 4.23 ERA in those 15 starts, allowing 67 hits with 30 walks and 80 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings.

The Orioles are 10-for-22 with runners in scoring position over their last three games. They lead the league by a big margin in RISP batting average at this early point.

AL team leaders, batting with runners in scoring position
.387 - Orioles
.295 - Boston
.289 - Detroit

The O's rank sixth in the AL with a 3.64 team ERA. They are ninth with a starting rotation ERA of 4.10. Boston ranks sixth at 3.72 in starters ERA while Minnesota is the AL leader at 2.35.

O's batting leaders on the farm:
.545 - Cedric Mullins, Double-A Bowie (12-for-22)
.438 - Drew Dosch, Bowie and Jomar Reyes, Single-A Frederick (both 7-for-16)
.417 - Paul Janish, Triple-A Norfolk and Steve Wilkerson, Frederick (both 5-for-12).