O's game blog: Trying to extend a winning streak

After hitting four homers in an 11-2 win over the New York Mets last night, the Orioles face the same club tonight as their playoff pursuit continues. The Orioles begin play 1/2 game back of the New York Yankees for the No. 8 American League playoff berth.

The Orioles (20-21) have won four in a row and six of their last eight games. They are 9-7 against National League teams, and that is 9-3 since they got swept four in a row by the Miami Marlins at home in early August.

The O's team ERA is 1.06 during their win streak and their starters ERA is 0.81 during this span. Over the last eight games, O's starters have a 2.52 ERA. The O's bullpen ERA for the year of 3.83 ranks as sixth-best in the AL. Over the past 13 games, the 'pen ERA is 2.55.

The club's team ERA is 3.17 over the past 15 games. That has dropped their team ERA for the season to 4.32, which is seventh in the league.

The Orioles lost to Toronto 6-5 in a walk-off on Aug. 30 and at that point had lost 11 of 13. They were 4 1/2 games out of a playoff berth. But they've quickly gained ground during their 6-2 run since then.

Right-hander Jorge López (1-0, 5.59 ERA) gets the start for the Orioles. He allowed three unearned runs over five innings in his last outing against the Yankees. In his two games as a starter for the Orioles, he is 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA, .176 batting average against and .481 OPS.

In five games since joining the Orioles, he is 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA. He has recorded a 1.179 WHIP while allowing 7.2 hits per nine innings and 0.5 homers per nine.

Righty Rick Porcello (1-4, 5.54 ERA) gets the start for the Mets. He has made eight starts, and the Mets are 1-7 in those games and have lost five in a row. But he threw well in his last start versus the Phillies, allowing two runs in six innings on 100 pitches.

Porcello went 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA in 2016 with Boston, winning the AL Cy Young Award. But since then, he is 43-40 with a 4.84 ERA.

He has worse numbers this season in facing right-handed batters. They hit .337 with a .902 OPS off him, while lefties bat .246/.592. In four home starts, he is 0-3 with a 7.11 ERA and 1.647 WHIP.

The Orioles lead the AL in OPS (.890), rank second in batting average (.2936), and are tied for second in home runs (14) during the month of September. They are 5-2 this month and have scored 46 runs (6.6 per game).

While Hanser Alberto's 10-game hitting streak ended Tuesday night, José Iglesias extended his streak to 13 in a row. He's batting .397 with six doubles and eight RBIs in this stretch. Ryan Mountcastle, who hit a two-run homer last night, has driven in eight runs his last four games.

The Orioles have the fifth-best road record in MLB:

.762 - Los Angeles Dodgers (16-5)
.682 - Chicago White Sox (15-7)
.667 - Cleveland Indians (14-7)
.654 - Miami Marlins (17-9)
.625 - Baltimore Orioles (10-6)