O's game blog: The series opener with the Los Angeles Angels

After completing their first three-game series sweep of the season on Wednesday night, the Orioles welcome the Los Angeles Angels to town tonight to begin a four-game series to wrap up a seven-game homestand.

The homestand has started quite well for the Orioles, who, after recording 10-inning walk-off wins on Monday and Tuesday, beat Texas 2-1 last night, holding the Rangers to six hits as the O’s completed the sweep, winning each game by one run.

The Orioles' last six games have been decided by seven total runs. They lost the first two of this stretch via walk-off losses in Minnesota, and now have won the last four.

The Orioles (39-44) are playing .470 baseball and on a pace to finish the 2022 season going 76-86. They have won nine of the last 14 and 15 of 24 games. They are 18-14 since June 1 and 32-30 since May 1. They improved to 21-17 at home.

The Orioles recorded a three-game sweep for the first time since July 23-25, 2021 versus Washington, and they have now won eight of their last 11 games at Oriole Park. They have matched a season long with four consecutive wins. The O’s swept the Rangers in a series for the first time since July 17-20, 2017, when the O’s took all four games at Oriole Park.

The O's registered just four hits last night, tied for their fewest in a win this season, and won without recording an extra-base hit for the first time since Sept. 20, 2020 against Tampa Bay. Baltimore secured its 39th win of the season in game 83 last night, and the Orioles did not win their 39th game of 2021 until game 125 on Aug. 25. 

The Los Angeles Angels (38-45) won 5-2 at Miami last night to end a four-game losing streak. But overall, the Angels have lost nine of 14 games and they are 1-4 on a nine-game road trip. Shohei Ohtani allowed one unearned run in last night’s win and also drove in two runs. So the Orioles will not face him in this series, at a time when he is 5-0 with an ERA of 0.27 over his past five starts. He is 8-4 with a 2.44 ERA for the season.

The Angels have struggled for offense lately, scoring just 10 runs the last five games and only 35 over their past 12 games. They are 17-22 on the road and were a season-worst eight games under .500 before last night’s win.

On the mound tonight for the Orioles is right-hander Jordan Lyles (4-7, 4.70 ERA), who will be making his 17^th start. He allowed just one run and four hits over 6 1/3 innings on 100 pitches last Saturday at Minnesota. Over his past three starts, his ERA is 3.20 and he has allowed just a .203 batting average in that span.

Best win percentage in the American League since June 11:

.739 - Houston (17-6)
.708 - New York Yankees (17-7)
.625 - Orioles (15-9)
.609 -  Boston (14-9)
.600 - Seattle (15-10)

Baltimore has won four games in a row for the second time this season, joining June 22-25. The last time the O's won at least five games in a row was a six-game winning streak from Aug. 7-13, 2020.

O's starting pitchers have a 2.26 ERA (21 ER/83.2 IP) with 65 hits, 24 total runs, four home runs allowed, 23 walks, and 66 strikeouts in their last 16 games since June 19. Orioles starters have surrendered more than two earned runs in just three of those games.