O's game blog: Jimenez on the mound in Miami series opener

The Orioles have not fared well this year in series-opening games. They play another one tonight in Miami.

The O's are 4-9 in the first game of their 13 series in 2015. They did go 2-1 in series openers on their just completed 5-4 homestand. But in road series openers this year the Orioles are just 1-5. The Orioles are 7-12 overall on the road.

Miami is in last place in the National League East at 16-26. The Marlins have lost seven in a row and 10 of their last 11 games. Since improving to .500 at 12-12, they are 4-14. During their current losing streak, five of those losses have been by two runs or fewer.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond was fired last Sunday and general manager Dan Jennings took over on Monday but the team is 0-4 under Jennings, getting swept four straight by Arizona.

Miami is 18-6 all-time in interleague games versus the Orioles, including a home record of 11-1. The Orioles have lost seven of eight series all-time versus Miami.

Miami at home against the Orioles:

* 3-0 in 1997

* 2-1 in 1999

* 3-0 in 2001

* 3-0 in 2009

The Orioles' lone win came on June 9, 1999.

On the mound tonight it's Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 2.43 ERA) against right-hander Henderson Alvarez (0-3, 6.23 ERA).

Jimenez has pitched seven or more innings in two straight starts, three of four starts and four times in seven starts on the season. He has four quality starts and is 0-2 with a 4.97 ERA in three road starts.

Both left- and right-handed batters are hitting .207 against Jimenez this season. This time last year Jimenez was 2-5 with a 4.50 ERA. Now he is tied for sixth in the AL in ERA.

Alvarez came off the disabled to make his last start on Sunday and took the loss against Atlanta. Over 5 1/3 innings he allowed nine hits, six runs and threw 85 pitches.

Chris Davis is 5-for-10 with a homer and Adam Jones is 5-for-11 with a homer against Alvarez. Alvarez is 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore.

O's starters pitching seven or more innings:

2014: Did that nine times in season's first 38 games.

2015: Did that 15 times in season's first 38 games.

Click here for a good feature on Norfolk outfielder Chris Parmalee produced by my Towson University classmate Scott Cash of WVEC-TV in Norfolk.