masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles hit the All-Star break after today’s game in Minnesota, which will end not only the first half but a four-game series and a seven-game road trip.
The Orioles will hit the break in a very different situation than a year ago. At the 2016 All-Star break, they were 51-36, leading the American League East by two games and sending five players to the Midsummer Classic. This year, they are 41-46 and tied for fourth in the AL East with Toronto. They are 8 1/2 games back of first place….

The Orioles hit the All-Star break after today’s game in Minnesota, which will end not only the first half but a four-game series and a seven-game road trip.

The Orioles will hit the break in a very different situation than a year ago. At the 2016 All-Star break, they were 51-36, leading the American League East by two games and sending five players to the Midsummer Classic. This year, they are 41-46 and tied for fourth in the AL East with Toronto. They are 8 1/2 games back of first place. Jonathan Schoop is their lone All-Star.

The Orioles won 5-1 on Saturday to snap a five-game losing streak. Schoop hit a two-run homer and Mark Trumbo homered with two RBIs. Winning pitcher Wade Miley allowed eight hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings.

Miley finished an out short of giving the Orioles their first quality start since Kevin Gausman on July 2 versus Tampa Bay. O’s starters have just three quality starts over the past 19 games and five in the last 32 games. During that 32-game run, their rotation ERA is 7.97.

Since they had majors’ best record of 22-10, the Orioles are 19-36 and their rotation ERA is 6.81 in those games.

The Orioles are 1-5 on this road trip, 16-30 in road games for the season, 2-6 in July, 12-15 in day games and 7-16 against AL Central teams, including a 3-10 mark on the road.

jimenez-back-gray-pitching-sidebar.jpgRight-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (3-4, 6.64 ERA) today makes his 18th appearance and 13th start. Jimenez is 2-4 with a 6.31 ERA in 11 road games, including seven starts.

Jiménez has had an up-and-down four-start stretch. It began with him allowing two runs over seven innings and then giving up nine runs over 2 1/3 innings. He then pitched eight shutout innings versus Toronto and followed that by allowing five runs in five innings against Milwaukee.

Jiménez is 5-3 with a 3.13 ERA and 1.377 WHIP in 12 career games (11 starts) versus the Twins. He pitched against them on May 22 in Baltimore and gave up six runs and nine hits in four innings. He has been good in his career at Target Field with a record of 4-1 and a 1.81 ERA in seven career starts.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson (5-6, 5.82 ERA) will make his 16th start for the Twins. Over 77 1/3 innings, he has allowed 97 hits, including 14 homers with 36 walks, 50 strikeouts and a .309 average against.

In eight home starts, Gibson is 2-4 with a 6.37 ERA. He faced the Orioles on May 22 in Baltimore and got a 14-7 win. Over five innings he allowed seven hits and six runs with four walks and five strikeouts on 86 pitches.