masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgKANSAS CITY – With J.J. Hardy hitting the disabled list with a left groin strain, Ryan Flaherty will start tonight at shortstop in the opener of a four-game series against the Royals.
Steve Clevenger is batting .414/.452/.586 during a career-high seven-game hitting streak. He’s hit safely in 10 of 12 games with the Orioles this season, batting .395/.422/.535.
Adam Jones is batting .341/.364/.659 (14-for-41) over his last 10 games.
Ubaldo Jimenez ranks 10th among Dominican-born pitchers with…

KANSAS CITY – With J.J. Hardy hitting the disabled list with a left groin strain, Ryan Flaherty will start tonight at shortstop in the opener of a four-game series against the Royals.

Steve Clevenger is batting .414/.452/.586 during a career-high seven-game hitting streak. He’s hit safely in 10 of 12 games with the Orioles this season, batting .395/.422/.535.

Adam Jones is batting .341/.364/.659 (14-for-41) over his last 10 games.

jimenez-gray-fixing-hat-sidebar.jpgUbaldo Jimenez ranks 10th among Dominican-born pitchers with 1,416 career strikeouts. He needs 11 more to tie current Orioles pitching instructor Ramon Martinez for ninth place.

The Orioles are trying to avoid slipping to .500 for the first time since July 27, when they were 49-49.

The Orioles are 54-1 when leading after the eighth inning. Before yesterday, they hadn’t lost when carrying a lead into the ninth since July 18, 2014 in Oakland, a streak of 92 consecutive games.

Reliever Jorge Rondon, recalled today from Triple-A Norfolk, hasn’t pitched since Friday. He’s allowed five runs and five hits over his last three appearances covering seven innings.

For the Orioles

Manny Machado 3B
Gerardo Parra RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Steve Clevenger DH
Matt Wieters C
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Henry Urrutia LF
Ryan Flaherty SS

Ubaldo Jimenez RHP