masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgManager Buck Showalter is going back to his left-handed lineup tonight, with Wilson Betemit at third base and Nate McLouth in left field.

Omar Quintanilla gets another start at second base, while Ryan Flaherty takes another seat on the bench.

For the Orioles:
Nick Markakis RF
J.J.Hardy SS
Chris Davis DH
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Wilson Betemit 3B
Nate McLouth LF
Mark Reynolds 1B
Omar Quintanilla 2B

Zach Britton LHP

For the Mariners:
Dustin Ackley 2B
Trayvon Robinson LF
Michael…Manager Buck Showalter is going back to his left-handed lineup tonight, with Wilson Betemit at third base and Nate McLouth in left field.

Omar Quintanilla gets another start at second base, while Ryan Flaherty takes another seat on the bench.

For the Orioles:
Nick Markakis RF
J.J.Hardy SS
Chris Davis DH
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Wilson Betemit 3B
Nate McLouth LF
Mark Reynolds 1B
Omar Quintanilla 2B

Zach Britton LHP

For the Mariners:
Dustin Ackley 2B
Trayvon Robinson LF
Michael Saunders CF
Jesus Montero DH
Kyle Seager 3B
Casper Wells RF
Mike Carp 1B
Miguel Olivo C
Munenori Kawasaki SS

Blake Beavan RHP

The Orioles are 9-14 (.391) in 23 games against the American League West, putting them on just a 63-win pace over 162 games. They’re 49-37 (.570) against the rest of baseball, a 92-win pace over a full season.

Markakis is batting .346 (36-for-104) with six doubles, three homers, eight RBIs, 18 runs scored and an .880 OPS in 24 games in the leadoff spot.

Betemit is batting .414 (12-for-29) with three doubles, a homer and three RBIs in his last eight games.

Jim Johnson notched his 33rd save last night to tie for the seventh-highest season total in Orioles history. His next one will tie him with Don Aase (34 in 1986).

Here are the pitching matchups for the four-game series against the Royals that starts Thursday at Camden Yards:

Thursday: Wei-Yin Chen (10-6, 3.46 ERA) vs. Will Smith (2-4, 6.00 ERA)
Friday: Miguel Gonzalez (3-2, 3.80 ERA) vs. Luke Hochevar (7-9, 5.04 ERA)
Saturday: Chris Tillman (5-1, 2.38 ERA) vs. Luis Mendoza (5-8, 4.36 ERA)
Sunday: Zach Britton (tonight) vs. Bruce Chen (tonight)

As you can see, the Orioles won’t face former teammate Jeremy Guthrie.

Farm fun-fact: Triple-A Norfolk has had only two players (outfielder Jamie Hoffmann and reliever Oscar Villarreal) who have spent the entire season on its active roster.