O's game blog: Orioles look to run win streak to four against Chicago

There are a few ups and downs in a long season and the Orioles offense can certainly attest to that. In the last four games of the Orioles' road trip that ended on Wednesday, their offense produced just five runs. But in the first two games of this series against the Chicago White Sox, the Orioles have scored 16 runs on 23 hits.

Can the O's keep it going tonight and take the first three games of their series against Chicago?

The White Sox brought an American League-best 16-6 record to Camden Yards. Their team ERA was 2.24, nearly a run better than the next closest team when the series began. But the Orioles have homered four times in two nights to post 10-2 and 6-3 wins.

At the same time, O's pitchers have had a nice run recently. They have allowed just 11 runs the last 5 games and that has lowered the team ERA to 3.47. That ranks fifth best in the league:

2.62 - Chicago White Sox
3.18 - Seattle Mariners
3.33 - Tampa Bay Rays
3.38 - Kansas City Royals
3.47 - Baltimore Orioles

On the mound tonight, Kevin Gausman (0-1, 1.80 ERA) makes his second start and White Sox right-hander Matt Latos (4-0, 0.74 ERA) makes his fifth. Latos ranks second in the AL in ERA, behind only Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann at 0.35.

Gausman sure had a strong season debut - even if it did not lead to a win - Monday at Tampa Bay. Over five innings, he gave up three hits and one run with two walks and seven strikeouts in a 2-0 loss. His four-seam fastball averaged 97 mph that night.

Counting his last two minor league rehab starts and the outing against the Rays, Gausman has fanned 24 batters over his last 14 innings.

Latos has allowed zero, one, zero and one run over his 2016 starts. He has won each of his first four starts for the first time in his career. The White Sox signed him Feb. 9 to a one-year deal worth $3 million.

Over 24 1/3 innings, he has allowed just 13 hits and two runs with seven walks, 13 strikeouts and a .151 average against. He is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.73 at home and 2-0 with an ERA of 0.75 on the road.

In last night's win, Orioles right-hander Darren O'Day extended his scoreless streak to 10 games and 8 2/3 innings to start the year. He has not surrendered a run over his last 12 games since Oct. 1. Also, O'Day owns an ERA of 0.40 ERA in his last 24 appearances dating back to Sept. 4. The Orioles are now 23-1 in his last 24 games, including a 10-0 mark this season in games in which O'Day has appeared.

Since Sept. 30, Nolan Reimold is batting .347/.418/.673 (17-for-49) with four doubles, four home runs, 12 runs and nine RBIs in 19 games. In nine games this season with two or more at-bats, he has posted five multi-hit games and also registered extra-base hits in five of those games.

The Orioles are 14-8 overall, 9-1 at home and looking for a fourth straight win tonight. A loss tonight would give the 16-8 White Sox their second three-game losing streak. They lost three in a row April 16-18.

The Orioles lead the majors leagues in batting average so far when putting the first-pitch in play. They are batting .481 (37-for-77) with nine homers. The nine homers are tied with the Cubs for the major league lead in first-pitch home runs.