It wasn't that long ago that the Orioles won just two games all year against the Boston Red Sox. They went 2-16 against Boston in 2009.
But if they win one game in this season-ending weekend series, the Orioles will have won back-to-back season series against the Red Sox for the first time since 1991-92.
The Orioles went 13-5 against Boston last year and are 9-7 in 2013, going 4-3 in Baltimore and 5-4 in Boston. Going further back, the O's are 28-15 over their last 43 games against Boston. The Orioles have won 10 of their last 13 series against the Red Sox.
The Red Sox have the best record in the majors at 96-63, but the Orioles are one of four clubs against which they have a losing record. Boston is 3-4 against Detroit, 2-5 vs. Kansas City and 2-4 against Texas.
Looking to wrap up the best record in the AL, Boston begins this weekend with a two-game lead on Oakland. The Red Sox have won 17 of their last 24 games.
To win tonight, the O's will have to beat Clay Buchholz, who is 11-1 with an ERA of 1.60 in 15 starts. The right-hander missed about three months with a strained neck, but is 2-1 with a 1.06 ERA in three starts since returning on Sept. 10.
In his one start against the O's this year, he pitched seven innings of three-hit shutout ball on April 8.
Buchholz is 5-0 with a 0.95 ERA in six road starts in 2013.
Chris Davis heads into this last series looking to extend his new O's record of 95 extra-base hits. If he could have a big weekend and add five to that total, he would become the 13th player in major league history with a total of 100. Davis' total leads major league baseball and the next closest player is Paul Goldschmidt of Arizona with 75.
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