Orioles closing out first half today

If the Orioles want to avoid being a .500 team at the All-Star break, all they need to do this afternoon is win a game that's started by the Nationals' Max Scherzer.

What's the big deal?

The Orioles couldn't avoid Scherzer, who's posted a 2.12 ERA and 0.803 WHIP in 17 starts and 123 1/3 innings. He's thrown a no-hitter, he's thrown a one-hitter, he's been covered in enough chocolate syrup to be mistaken for a 215 pound sundae.

Scherzer has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 13 of his 17 starts, but he proved human in the most recent one. He surrendered five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Reds.

Not exactly the cherry on top of his sundae.

In six career starts against the Orioles, Scherzer has gone 3-1 with a 3.92 ERA. He's 1-0 with a 4.95 ERA in three starts at Camden Yards, with four walks and 24 strikeouts in 20 innings.

Adam Jones is 9-for-21 with two doubles and a home run against Scherzer, Chris Davis is 7-for-17 with a home run and six strikeouts, Matt Wieters is 6-for-17, Chris Parmelee is 5-for-17 with a double and Manny Machado is 0-for-7 with four strikeouts.

Davis was a late scratch from last night's lineup with the stomach flu and may not be recovered this morning. The Orioles had him hooked up to IVs during the game.

Scherzer is 4-4 with a 2.83 ERA in eight home starts and 5-3 with a 1.50 ERA in nine road starts.

Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen hasn't lost since May 30, going 3-0 with three no-decisions. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in six consecutive starts to lower his ERA to 2.82.

It's not often that the starters on both teams are sporting sub-3 ERAs, though I haven't done the research.

Chen is 1-2 with a 6.60 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals. Jose Lobaton is 3-for-8 with five strikeouts and Yunel Escobar is 3-for-19 with a double and home run.

Can Chen keep the ball in the park? He's served up two home runs in each of his last three starts.

Machado has hit safely in 20 of his last 22 games, batting .349/.423/.628.

Steve Pearce snapped a 21-game homerless streak last night, matching his longest stretch of the season. He also had a dry spell from April 8-May 12.

With last night's loss, the Orioles are 30-5 when Caleb Joseph records at least one RBI in his career and 13-2 when he records two or more RBIs.

The Orioles are now 5-6 in interleague games this season. Last night's loss snapped their six-game home winning streak against National League opponents dating back to Sept. 2, 2014 against the Reds.

Shameless plug alert: I'm appearing on "O's Xtra" at 1 p.m. on MASN.