O's game blog: Orioles are 33-20 against the AL East in 2014

The Orioles' magic number to clinch the American League East is down to 15 and they have 23 games remaining as they begin a road trip tonight against Tampa Bay. That may come as good news to an O's team that is 33-20 against the AL East this year. Since starting this season by losing two of its first three series within the division, the Orioles are 11-1-2 in 14 AL East series. The Orioles have not lost a road series in the AL East all year, going 7-0-1 in those series with a record of 17-8. The Orioles are 11-5 versus the Rays this season, including a 5-1 mark on the road. Last year, they were 6-13 against Tampa Bay. The O's best record against the Rays was 13-6 in 2006. Jonathan Schoop homered in all three games in the series with Cincinnati. He went 4-for-10 with four extra-base hits in the series. He had a double along with the three homers and five RBIs. A stat from "O's Xtra" last night showed that Schoop is the third-youngest Oriole to ever homer in three consecutive games: * Curt Blefary in 1965 at 21 years, 303 days * Boog Powell in 1964 at 22 years, 294 days * Boog Powell in 1964 at 22 years, 315 days * Jonathan Schoop in 2014 at 22 years, 323 days The O's offense produced 20 runs on 29 hits with seven homers in the three-game sweep of the Reds. The O's went 9-for-20 with runners in scoring position in the series. Wei-Yin Chen (14-4, 3.83 ERA) can become a 15-game winner tonight when he pitches against right-hander Alex Cobb (9-7, 2.98 ERA). Chen is 5-1 with a 3.18 ERA in eight starts since the All-Star break with 10 walks and 41 strikeouts over 51 innings. He is 1-1 with a 4.71 ERA in four starts against the Rays this season. Cobb is on a roll, allowing two runs or fewer in 10 straight starts, the longest current streak in the majors and a Tampa Bay team record. Over that time, Cobb is 5-1 with a 1.55 ERA. He is 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA in seven career starts against Baltimore, but the Orioles really worked the count well against him and elevated his pitch when he started at Camden Yards on Aug. 26. He gave up two runs over four innings on 92 pitches that night.