O's game blog: It's Chris Tillman vs. Gio Gonzalez in series opener

The Orioles return to interleague play tonight when they host the Washington Nationals for a three-game series that will end the first half.

The Orioles are 4-5 this season against the National League, going 0-2 against the Mets, 1-2 versus the Marlins and 3-1 against Philadelphia. They went 12-8 last year and are 153-179 all-time in interleague games.

The Orioles lead the all-time series with Washington, 29-21, since 2006. Since 2012, the Orioles are 10-4, going 4-0-2 in six series. Their last series loss to the Nationals was June 17-19, 2011. Since 2008, the Orioles are 14-5 at Camden Yards versus Washington.

The Nationals are 6-8 against the American League, going 1-2 versus Boston, 3-1 against New York, 1-2 versus Toronto and 1-3 against Tampa Bay.

With 177 home runs as an Oriole, Adam Jones is two homers shy of tying Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (179) for eighth place on the Orioles' all-time list. Shortstop J.J. Hardy is nine home runs shy of 100 long balls with Baltimore. A total of 23 players have notched at least 100 homers for the Orioles

On the mound tonight, Chris Tillman (6-7, 5.57) makes his 17th start, facing left-hander Gio Gonzalez (6-4, 4.16 ERA).

Tillman ended the 2014 regular season, pitching to an ERA of 2.38 his last 21 starts, and the Orioles went 24-10 in his starts during the season. But he has struggled this year and the Orioles are 8-8 in his 2015 starts.

Tillman has just six quality starts and sports a WHIP of 1.56, allowing 10.1 hits per nine innings and 4.0 walks.

Gonzalez is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.64 over his past two starts after pitching to an ERA of 6.03 over the previous seven. While he has an ERA of 2.44 at home, he is 2-3 with a 5.89 ERA in eight road starts.

With 48 wins since 2012, Gonzalez is tied for fifth among MLB left-handers. He has recorded 10 or more wins five straight seasons. The only left-handers to also do that are C.J. Wilson, Clayton Kershaw, David Price and Mark Buehrle.

Tillman is 0-0 with a 4.86 ERA in three career starts versus the Nationals. Gonzalez is 1-4 with a 3.80 ERA in seven career starts against Baltimore.