O's game blog: Jimenez on the mound for Game 2 at New York

One week later, Ubaldo Jimenez (5-9, 4.90 ERA) is back on the mound for the Orioles. Last Tuesday, he made his first start in a month and gave up two runs in five innings to get the win against Toronto as the Orioles clinched the American League East championship. After a season filled with disappointment for Jimenez, one in which he lost his rotation spot late in the year, he was on the mound to help win the clincher. After that game, in a champagne-soaked clubhouse, he talked about how special that night was for him. "It means a lot. I just want to be part of the team. Doing that tonight I feel a part of it," Jimenez said. "Really happy. "It's pretty sweet. I told you it (the celebration) was going to be sweet. What we have been able to accomplish this year is amazing and I'm really happy to be a part of it." Jimenez struggled early in that game against Toronto, throwing 60 pitches over the first two innings, but then settled down and needed just 37 pitches from the third through the fifth. O's starters ranked by batting average against: .232 - Chris Tillman .242 - Bud Norris .247 - Ubaldo Jimenez .254 - Miguel Gonzalez .265 - Kevin Gausman .268 - Wei-Yin Chen In two starts versus the Yankees this year, Jimenez is 0-1 with an ERA of 4.36. In 10 1/3 innings, he has walked 11 and fanned seven. He is 1-4 with a 5.79 ERA in six career starts against New York. Right-hander Brandon McCarthy (7-4, 2.54 ERA) will make his 14th start for the Yankees. He is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three September starts. In six home starts, McCarthy is 5-1 with a 1.36 ERA, with five walks and 42 strikeouts over 39 2/3 innings. The Orioles have lost three of four games since going 10-1 over an 11-game stretch. Their next win will be the 94th - the most by the Orioles since the 1997 team won 98. Over the last 11 games, O's pitchers have allowed just 26 runs while going 7-4. Nick Markakis has just six hits his last 43 at-bats. Over his past 27 games, he is batting .152 and he has not driven in a run over his last 21 games. The Orioles are 11-5 against the Yankees, including a 7-2 mark at home and a 4-3 record on the road. They have won the first five series between the teams in 2014.