O's game blog: Ubaldo Jimenez looks for first home win at Camden Yards

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

June 25, 2014, 8:30am

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When Ubaldo Jimenez makes his 16th Orioles start tonight, fans will be watching early on to see how his control is. Jimenez has walked five or more in three straight starts, with 16 walks over 14 innings in that stretch.

The right-hander has often walked a lot of batters during his career, but his walk rate as an Oriole is the worst of his career. He is averaging 5.6 walks per every nine innings. Last year for Cleveland, he averaged 3.9 per nine.

Jimenez is 0-4 over his last eight starts, although he gave up just three runs over 11 2/3 innings in his past two starts for an ERA of 2.31. He's allowed two earned runs or less in four of his last five starts, providing some hope that he is beginning to turn around his season.

Not only is Jimenez 2-8 with an ERA of 4.63 for the season, but the Orioles have lost 12 of his 15 starts and are 1-7 in his last eight. He has made seven home starts, going 0-6 with a 6.38 ERA and the Orioles are 0-7 in those games.

Right-hander Hector Noesi pitches for the White Sox tonight. Noesi is playing for his third team in 2014. He began the year with Seattle, had his contract purchased by Texas on April 12 and was selected on waivers by Chicago on April 25.

For the season, he is 2-5 with a 5.34 ERA. In 11 games with the White Sox, he is 2-4 with a 4.37 ERA.

The Orioles have won three straight rubber match games, taking the third game of a series after splitting the first two with wins over the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees. They go for four in a row tonight.