Orioles Look To Get Back On Track In Three-Game Series Against Twins
The Baltimore Orioles own the majors' best home record despite seeing their eight-game winning streak at Camden Yards come to a halt in their last time out. The Orioles look to get back on track Monday when they open a three-game series against a Minnesota Twins team that has made itself at home in opponents' ballparks for much of this season.
Adam Jones belted his 124th homer at Camden Yards in Sunday's 3-1 setback to Toronto to tie Rafael Palmeiro for the most in the history of the ballpark, but Baltimore was done in by a season-high three errors and fell for the seventh time in 10 games overall. While the Orioles own a 15-4 mark at home, the Twins aren't too shabby when they leave Target Field with wins in nine of their last 11 road games and an 11-5 record on the season. Brian Dozier collected two hits and scored a run in each outing of Sunday's doubleheader split against Kansas City and owns a .318 batting average against Monday starter Ubaldo Jimenez. With Minnesota playing two doubleheaders in a four-day stretch, the team is expected to recall right-hander Kyle Gibson from Triple-A Rochester to make the start on Monday.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (0-4, 8.20 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2, 6.52)
Gibson hasn't paid much in the way of dividends since receiving a one-year deal in the offseason, allowing six homers and 13 walks in 26 1/3 innings to earn a demotion to Triple-A earlier in the month. The 29-year-old was taken deep once and permitted five walks in five innings to take the loss at Baltimore on April 6, 2016 before settling for a no-decision against the Orioles in another encounter in July. Gibson has gotten the better of Jones (2-for-14), although the latter joined J.J. Hardy (5-for-9) and Chris Davis (4-for-11) in belting a homer off the hurler in their careers.
Jimenez surrendered two homers for the second straight start and third time in four outings on Wednesday in a 5-4 loss at Detroit. The 33-year-old Dominican surrendered five runs in five innings and has permitted fewer than three in only one of his seven starts this season. Jimenez owns a 5-3 career mark with a 2.49 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) against Minnesota, including retiring Eddie Rosario in all eight at-bats - five via strikeout.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is 11-for-34 with five runs scored during his nine-game hitting streak.
2. Baltimore DH Mark Trumbo has multi-hit performances in three straight contests and four of his last six.
3. Twins 3B Miguel Sano, who is riding a five-game hitting streak, collected four RBIs during Sunday's doubleheader.
PREDICTION: Orioles 6, Twins 3