O's game blog: The Reds make second visit to Baltimore since 1970 World Series

When the Cincinnati Reds played at Camden Yards in 2011, it was their first visit to Baltimore since the 1970 World Series. Tonight they make their second trip since then. The Orioles went 2-1 in that series three years ago and the clubs have split six all-time regular season meetings. Brooks Robinson was the MVP of the 1970 Series that the Orioles took four games to one. He played pretty well then, you can look it up. He is also among the all-time nicest humans ever. Pretty sure that has been true both before and after that World Series. The Reds are 66-71 for the season and 15-27 since the All-Star break when they were seven games over .500. Cincinnati is 6-11 against the American League including 1-6 on the road, going 0-2 at Boston, 0-3 at New York and 1-1 at Cleveland. Nick Markakis ranks fourth all-time, and leads active players, with a .335 career average (min. 300 PA) in interleague games. He has batted .335/.391/.465 in 146 career games against the NL. J.J. Hardy is hitting .400/.446/.617 (24-for-60) with four doubles, three home runs, and 10 RBIs in 16 interleague games in 2014. Nelson Cruz is tied with Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion for the major league lead in interleague homers with eight. Cruz is one homer shy of the franchise record (Chris Davis in 2013). On the mound tonight, Bud Norris (11-8, 4.00 ERA) faces right-hander Mat Latos (5-3, 3.15 ERA). Norris is 3-1 with a 5.33 ERA in five August starts. It's his worst month by ERA. Latos began the year on the DL recovering from elbow and knee surgeries. Over his last six starts he is 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA. The Alexandria, Va. native has never faced the Orioles. Two other historic notes from Sept. 2: It was fifteen years ago today that Cal Ripken Jr. hit his 400th career homer run. It was on this date in 1988 that a great baseball movie, "Eight Men Out," was released.