O's game blog: Orioles try to avoid sweep in the Bronx

The Orioles have one more chance to end a miserable weekend in New York with a win. They play the Yankees today in the finale of a four-game series. They've lost the first three games in the Bronx by a combined 30-10 score, and they've allowed nine homers.

In the three games, O's starters lasted a combined 7 2/3 innings, giving up 15 hits and 15 runs (14 earned). The Orioles bullpen has allowed 15 runs on six homers in 16 1/3 in the series.

Today the Yankees go for their first four-game home sweep of the Orioles since Sept. 19-22, 2005. From 2012 through 2016, the O's went 22-26 in the Bronx. But they are 1-8 at Yankee Stadium this year, their most losses in New York since going 1-10 in 1960.

The Orioles are 72-77 with nine losses in the past 10 games, and have a 4-12 record since they won seven in a row. They need to go 9-4 over the last 13 games to avoid a losing season.

New York is 82-66 with seven wins in its last eight games. The Yankees are 34-21 since July 20. They are 43-27 at home and 39-27 in games versus the American League East.

Right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (5-10, 6.75 ERA) seems like a rather unlikely hurler to slow the Yankees today, but he will get the start for the Orioles. Over his last four starts, Jiménez is 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA. He has no quality stats his last six starts since July 31 against Kansas City.

In three games (two starts) this season against New York, Jiménez is 0-1 with an 11.42 ERA and has allowed four homers in 8 2/3 innings. In 14 career games, he is 4-6 with a 6.75 ERA.

Right-hander Sonny Gray (3-5, 2.66 ERA) today makes his ninth start as a Yankee. In his last game Tuesday against Tampa Bay he went eight innings and gave up five hits and two runs. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of eight starts for his new team. Lefty batters are hitting .172 and right-handers .235 against him.

He made one start this year against the Orioles, and on Sept. 7 he got the win for the Yankees, allowing one unearned run on six hits in 5 1/3. In five career starts, he is 2-3 with a 4.39 ERA.