O's game blog: Orioles begin nine-game homestand against Toronto tonight

The Orioles have allowed 10 or more runs in three games this year and each time it happened against Toronto. As the clubs begin a three-game series and the Orioles open a nine-game homestand at Camden Yards tonight, the O's will look to start pitching better against the Blue Jays.

The O's team ERA is 8.29 as they have lost five of six to Toronto with games allowing 10, 12 and 13 runs. The Orioles have been outscored 47-33 in the season series.

The Blue Jays are batting .298 with an OPS of .914 against Baltimore pitching with 23 doubles and nine homers.

Some Toronto hitters against the O's this year:
* Jose Bautista is 5-for-15 with two homers and six RBIs.
* Devin Travis is 7-for-18 with three doubles, a homer and six RBIs.
* Josh Donaldson is 8-for-23 with five doubles, a homer and six RBIs.

Orioles starters have an ERA of 12.95, allowing 35 runs and 32 hits over 24 1/3 innings. So that needs to get better. Catcher Caleb Joseph was asked about that this afternoon.

"We have to minimize the mistakes," he said. "All the mistakes we've thrown up there, they have made us pay for them. We have to try and get quick innings. Ubaldo has to fill up the zone tonight like he usually does. When he pitches with the sinker down in the zone, he usually gets good results. Just pitch to early contact and let our defense play for us."

Tonight, Ubaldo Jimenez (2-2, 2.36 ERA) pitches against 31-year-old right-hander Marco Estrada (1-1, 2.93 ERA).

Jimenez is 1-1 with an ERA of 3.00 in two starts this season versus the Jays. In 11 career games, he is 4-4 with a 4.29 ERA. In two home starts, Jimenez is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, allowing just four hits and two unearned runs over 14 innings.

Estrada began the year pitching out of the bullpen and worked to an ERA of 0.84 in six games. He pitched twice against the Orioles, giving up one run in two innings. He made his first start last Tuesday against the Yankees, allowing eight hits and five runs over 4 2/3.

With five losses in six games, the O's begin this homestand with a 13-16 record. They have not been four games under .500 this year. They were 15-14 and two games out of first place after 29 games last season.

The Orioles hope home cooking and a stretch of 17 home games over the next 20 gets them back over the .500 mark. They have scored a total of 71 runs in 10 home games this year and lead the American League in home game batting average (.327) and OPS (.933).

The Orioles bullpen ranks first in the AL and third in the major leagues with a 1.37 ERA since April 29. The bullpen batting average against of .130 in that stretch leads the majors. The 'pen ERA for the season is 3.59.