O's game blog: It's Gausman against Tanaka in series finale

The Orioles have won three of four series against American League East teams this year. Tonight's game against the Yankees will decide this series after the teams exchanged wins the last two nights.

The Orioles are 8-5 against AL East teams, going 2-1 against Boston, 3-2 against Tampa Bay, 2-1 versus Toronto and 1-1 against New York.

Orioles starting pitchers are slowly making some progress. After the team's rotation produced just three quality starts in the season's first 18 games, they now have six in the last eight games. The rotation ERA is 3.45 in those eight games. For the year, it is 4.55 to rank 10th in the AL. New York is at 4.88 to rate 13th. In overall team ERA, the Orioles are No. 8 in the AL right now at 3.75.

On the mound in the series finale, right-hander Kevin Gausman (0-1, 2.45 ERA) pitches against right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 2.87 ERA) at Camden Yards.

Gausman went five innings allowing one run April 25 against Tampa Bay in his season debut. On April 30 he went six innings allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) against the Chicago White Sox.

Through that small sample size of two starts, he has allowed a .154 average versus left-handed batters and .185 against right-handed hitters. Gausman is 3-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 career appearances (five starts) against the Orioles.

The 27-year-old Tanaka has allowed two earned runs in each of his five starts this season. He has three consecutive quality starts. In that stretch, over 20 2/3 innings, he has given up six earned runs with one walk to 18 strikeouts with a 2.61 ERA.

In 49 career starts, he is 26-12 with an ERA of 3.13 and New York is 32-17 in those games. Last season, Tanaka made two starts versus the Orioles, going 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA. In four career starts against Baltimore he is 1-1 with a 3.03 ERA.

Manny Machado begins tonight second in the league batting .355. He has five multi-hit games over his last six games, batting .458 (11-for-24) with five doubles, a homer and five RBIs. He leads the league in slugging at .673 and is tied for the AL lead with 13 doubles. He also leads the league in hits (38) and total bases (72).