O's game blog: Looking for a win in the ChiSox series finale

After they have exchanged 5-3 wins – with the Orioles winning by that margin on Tuesday night and the White Sox doing so last night – the Birds and ChiSox play their series-deciding game tonight at Camden Yards.

The Orioles (64-59) are 8-9 in rubber match games this season and won the last one they played, beating the Red Sox in Williamsport, Pa., on Sunday night in the Little League Classic.

The Orioles have allowed two runs in each first inning of the two games in this series. The first inning has been their worst inning this season, one where they have been outscored by 26 runs 66-40. The next worst inning for the Orioles is the fifth, where they have been outscored 75-68. The team has a first-inning ERA of 4.68.

The O’s offense has produced eight runs and 11 hits (going 11-for-59, .186) in this series with two doubles and two homers while going 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

The Orioles are now 36-24 at home and are 18-7 their past 25 home games.

The Orioles have won the season series against the White Sox with a 4-2 record and this one last game to play. They win the season series for the first time since going 4-3 against Chicago in 2017.

Right-hander Jordan Lyles (9-9, 4.61 ERA) gets the start tonight, his 26^th. Lyles has thrown 138 2/3 innings to rank 15^th in the American League and 31^st in the majors. He has thrown 44 more innings than the next closest Oriole, which is right-hander Tyler Wells. John Means, with 146 2/3 innings, led the 2021 Orioles.

Lyles has a 1.471 WHIP, allowing 10.3 hits per nine and 1.2 homers with a 2.9 walk rate and 7.7 strikeout rate. The Orioles are 12-13 when he starts.

He has allowed eight runs over 8 1/3 in his last two starts versus Tampa Bay and Boston. In the three starts that preceded those two, his ERA was 1.53. Lyles allows a .857 OPS against lefty batters and .758 versus right-handers.

Righty Lance Lynn (3-5, 5.30 ERA) will make his 14^th start for Chicago. For the year, he has thrown 71 1/3 innings while allowing 76 hits, including 14 homers with 12 walks to 75 strikeouts. He has a 1.234 WHIP with a 1.5 walk rate and 9.5 strikeout rate.

The team is 7-6 in his starts. His last two have been good ones. He allowed one run over 5 2/3 in his most recent outing against Cleveland. In his past two starts, he has yielded three runs and 10 hits over 11 2/3 innings with one walk and 13 strikeouts. Lynn has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his last six starts. Lefties have a .798 OPS against him and right-handers .700.

The Orioles have gone 13-8 in their first 21 games in August. The O's have outscored their opponents 103-85 (+18) in August while posting a .756 OPS, which ranks second in the AL and seventh in the majors this month. Baltimore needs one win in the next six games to clinch its third consecutive winning month after going 16-9 in July and 14-12 in June. The O's have not had three straight winning months since April (14-9), May (14-13), and June (19-9) 2016.