O's game blog: Tied for first place, Orioles begin road trip in Chicago

The Orioles begin a six-game road trip to Chicago and Minnesota tonight by facing the White Sox to open a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Orioles went 5-1 against the Sox last year and swept a three-game series in Chicago. The Orioles are 2-1 versus Chicago this year, and have held the White Sox to 19 hits and a .198 batting average in the three games.

The Orioles are 5-0-1 in the last six season series since 2009, going 30-18 in that time.

The Orioles begin play tonight tied for first in the American League East with New York at 42-37. Tampa Bay and Toronto are one game back.

Despite losing three of four to Texas, over a longer the stretch, the Orioles have won eight of 12 and 19 of their past 27 games.

Chicago is 34-42 and in last place in the AL Central. The White Sox are just 2-7 against the AL East, but they are coming off a two-game series sweep at St. Louis. That was just the second time the Cardinals have lost back-to-back home games in 2015.

Over their last eight home games, Chicago starters have pitched to an ERA of 1.77, allowing two runs or fewer seven times.

The White Sox are among the AL leaders in quality starts:

49 - Oakland Athletics
48 - Seattle Mariners
46 - Los Angeles Angels
45 - Chicago White Sox
44 - Texas Rangers

The White Sox lead the AL in quality starts since the 2003 with 1,104. The Angels are second in that time with 1,094.

The Orioles are 36-0 when holding a lead after seven innings and 39-0 when leading after eight innings. According to STATS, LLC., their 36-0 record when leading after seven is tied for the best mark in the majors. The Orioles are one of 12 teams without a loss when leading after eight innings.

Tonight, Ubaldo Jimenez (7-3, 3/09 ERA) makes his 16th start of the year, facing Chicago left-hander John Danks (3-8, 5.38 ERA).

Coming off eight scoreless innings against Cleveland, Jimenez has a four-game winning streak, his longest since winning seven straight from May 15-June 17, 2010. Jimenez has a 2.8 walk rate this year (per every nine innings), the best of his career and much better than last year's 5.5 rate.

Danks went 0-4 with an ERA of 6.85 in June, allowing a .344 batting average. The longest-tenured White Sox player, on the roster since 2007, he gives up a .230 average this year when facing left-handed batters and .321 against right-handed batters.