O's game blog: Kevin Gausman faces Nats in series opener

Tonight's pitching matchup at Camden Yards features a pitcher that leads the National League in ERA against a pitcher that ranks last in ERA among all current 47 qualifying pitchers in the American League.

It's Kevin Gausman (1-3, 7.55 ERA) for the Orioles and Gio Gonzalez (3-0, 1.64 ERA) for the Washington Nationals. These clubs will play the next four nights, with the first two games in Baltimore and the next two in Washington.

Since the Nationals' first season in Washington in 2006, the Orioles have lost the season series just once to the Nats, going 7-1-2. They lead the overall series 36 wins to 24. Since 2012 the Orioles have won five consecutive season series, going 17-7 in that time.

These teams hold two of the three best records in the majors right now with the Nationals at 21-10 (.677) and the Orioles at 20-10 (.667). Only the New York Yankees, at 20-9 (.690) have a higher winning percentage. The Yankees lead the Orioles by a 1/2-game atop the AL East. The Nationals lead the Mets by 6 1/2 games above the NL East.

Washington's offense has been prolific. The Nationals have scored 194 runs to average 6.26 per game. In a recent four-game series at Colorado, the Nats scored 50 runs. A few days later they beat the Mets on April 30 by a 23-5 score. In taking two of three from the Phillies over the weekend, they scored a more modest 15 runs.

The Nationals lead the majors in runs, hits, doubles, batting average, OBP, slugging and OPS. Their team slash line is .285/.362/.491 with an OPS of .852.

Then there is first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who is off to one of the best starts perhaps in the history of baseball. He is batting .435/.475/.907 with 12 doubles, 13 homers and 34 RBIs. That .907 mark is slugging, not OPS, and yes he does have 25 extra-base hits in 30 games. He also has a current 13-game hitting streak and is batting .491 (26-for-53) with eight homers and 21 RBIs. He has hit 10 homers his past 17 games. None of this is a misprint.

Gausman may need to turn around his season in a hurry. He has just one quality start, and in his last game he was ejected in the second inning last Wednesday at Boston. He also ranks last among all 47 qualifying AL pitchers in WHIP (1.935) and has walked 5.2 batters per nine innings this year. That mark last season was 2.4.

Gonzalez has allowed two earned runs or fewer in all six of his starts, and has given up no more than one earned run four times. He gives up a batting average against of .200 to lefty hitters, .229 versus right-handed batters and .069 (2-for-29) when pitching with runners in scoring position. In two road starts, he is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

O's hitting notes:

* Manny Machado drove in his team-leading 21st run of the season with his single in the second inning Sunday. He has hit safely in nine of his last 11 games, hitting .304 (14-for-46) with five home runs, 12 runs, and 11 RBIs.

* Trey Mancini is 8-for-13 (.615) over his last four games with two doubles, a homer and six RBIs. Mancini has driven in at least one run in five straight games with seven RBIs in that span.

* Mark Trumbo is 7-for-16 (.438) over his last four games with seven singles.

* Over his last five games, Chris Davis is 6-for-16 (.375).

* Over his past seven games, Adam Jones is 4-for-29 (.138).