Orioles closing home portion of schedule with Bundy on mound

It's an unfortunate but understandable part of Dylan Bundy's pitching life that he's obliged to prove that he has more in the tank. The rookie has to prove that he isn't running on empty.

The most effective method, of course, is to pitch into the late innings this afternoon against the Diamondbacks and push the Orioles toward a sweep in their final regular season game at Camden Yards.

Show of hands if you predicted in March that Bundy would close out the home portion of the schedule. Don't be shy.

Bundy's tank talk is derived from not completing six innings in his last five starts and from allowing five earned runs in three of those outings. He's worked 104 2/3 innings and manager Buck Showalter keeps giving him an extra day of rest.

Bundy's 4.13 ERA is its highest since 4.33 on June 15. It was 2.93 on Aug. 12. He was 4-2 with a 4.09 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in six starts in August and teams were batting .221 against him. He's 2-1 with a 5.95 ERA and 1.678 WHIP in four starts this month and teams are batting .266.

Maybe a fresh opponent will provide a boost. Bundy has never faced the Diamondbacks, of course, and he's pitching where he's registered a 3.26 ERA in 18 games. He's got a 5.21 ERA in 17 road games.

Bundy says he's fine physically, cutting off speculation last week that he might be skipped. We learned later that Kevin Gausman was the rotation's health riddle because of a sore oblique.

Wade Miley allowed the bullpen to recharge last night by going 8 2/3 innings. The baton can be passed again today if necessary.

Meanwhile, who's Braden Shipley and why's he starting today for Arizona?

Shipley was the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft out of Nevada-Reno. Today marks his 12 major league appearance and 10th start.

I've lost count of how many opposing starters were newbies to the Orioles this season.

Shipley is 4-4 with a 5.49 ERA and 1.559 WHIP in 59 innings. He's 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.461 WHIP in 51 1/3 innings as a starter, his debut coming on July 24 against the Brewers, when he allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 7-2 loss.

In his last two starts since reentering the rotation, Shipley has allowed eight runs (seven earned) and 14 hits over eight innings.

Right-handers are batting .360 against Shipley and left-handers are batting .262.

Shipley was 8-5 with a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts at Triple-A Reno and he averaged only 1.7 walks per nine innings.

That's all I've got. You'll need a creepy stalker for his turn-ons and turn-offs.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy is 19-for-48 (.396) in his last 15 games.

Catcher Matt Wieters, likely to sit today following a night game, is 22-for-62 (.355) with six doubles, a triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs and 12 runs scored in 19 interleague games.