Starting the second half

The break is finally over. The Home Run Derby, the All-Star Game, the workout in Detroit - it's all in the Orioles' rear view mirror.

How much longer do we reflect on the first half?

The Orioles are taking their 44-44 record to Comerica Park for tonight's series opener against the Tigers. They've lost 10 of their last 13 games to fall four back in the American League East.

The Orioles are 17-26 on the road and 15-16 in the first game of a series. They're 12-14 in one-run games, 7-13 in two-run games, 34-19 when they score first, 5-32 when scoring fewer than four runs and 32-9 when outhitting their opponents.

Though they led the majors in average with runners in scoring position for much of the first half, the Orioles (.290) slipped to fourth after a maddening stretch when they've gone 7-for-81.

Which Orioles' starter has struck out the most batters in one game this season? Answer to follow.

The Orioles went 1-5 against the Tigers last season, losing two of three at Comerica Park. They haven't swept the Tigers in a three-game series in Detroit since 2004.

Ubaldo Jimenez opens the second half for the Orioles in a ballpark that's challenged him, to put it mildly. He's 2-7 with a 6.80 ERA and 1.699 WHIP in nine career starts at Comerica Park. Overall, he's 5-9 with a 4.93 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 17 starts against the Tigers.

Jimenez held the Tigers to one run and three hits over six innings in a May 11, 2013 start in Detroit, walking one and striking out eight as part of the Indians' rotation, but he allowed five runs and seven hits in three innings in a return visit a month later.

After signing with the Orioles last year, Jimenez made one start against the Tigers at Camden Yards and blanked them on three hits over seven innings.

Victor Martinez is 8-for-24 with a double, three home runs and nine RBIs against Jimenez. Yoenis Cespedes is 3-for-7 with a home run, Marc Krauss is 3-for-6 with a double, and Alex Avila is 5-for-23 with a double, a home run, eight walks and eight strikeouts.

Jimenez has allowed one run in his last three starts over 20 innings. He threw 110 pitches in five scoreless innings in his last start in Minnesota, allowing seven hits and walking three batters, and his ERA was lowered from 2.96 to 2.81.

Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez has reverse splits, holding left-handed hitters to a .205 average while right-handers are batting .262. He's made two career starts against the Orioles, allowing five runs and nine hits in 10 1/3 innings.

The current Orioles are 9-for-48 (.188) against Sanchez. Chris Parmelee is 1-for-13, Adam Jones is 2-for-4 and Matt Wieters is 1-for-3 with a home run.

Answer: Miguel Gonzalez struck out a career-high 10 batters against the Yankees on April 14, the most by an Orioles starting pitcher this season.