masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgChecking in with a few notes and stats as the Orioles play the series finale this afternoon in Chicago:

* Here is a good stat for the Orioles: They are 8-3 when they play the third game of a series after splitting the first two as they have in Chicago. They have won five in a row in such situations. They are 3-1 at home and 5-2 on the road when the third game decides the series.

* Now here is a strange stat: The White Sox are 8-7 against the AL East and 25-41 vs. the rest of baseball.

* The…Checking in with a few notes and stats as the Orioles play the series finale this afternoon in Chicago:

* Here is a good stat for the Orioles: They are 8-3 when they play the third game of a series after splitting the first two as they have in Chicago. They have won five in a row in such situations. They are 3-1 at home and 5-2 on the road when the third game decides the series.

* Now here is a strange stat: The White Sox are 8-7 against the AL East and 25-41 vs. the rest of baseball.

* The Orioles have allowed three runs or less in six of the last eight games, winning all six of those games. They have allowed 25 runs in the eight games.

* In that eight-game stretch, O’s starters have recorded five quality starts, pitching to an ERA of 3.94.

* The Orioles lead the majors with 69 road wins since the start of the 2012 season. They are 23-20 on the road this year.

* Chicago has lost six of its last seven and 24 of 33 games. Chicago’s 33-48 record is its worst at the 81-game mark since 1998.

* Chris Davis has homered four times over his last four games, 10 times the last 16 games, 12 times in 20 games and has hit 21 homers in his last 44 games since May 18. He has 31 RBIs his past 20 games and has driven in at least one run in 14 of those 20 games, with eight multiple-RBI games in the stretch.

* The Orioles have hit 31 homers in the last 20 games.

* The Orioles could go a season-high 12 games over .500 with a victory today.

* The White Sox have won three straight on the Fourth of July.

From the Keys: The Frederick Keys announced today that the Orioles have released pitcher Tom Winegardner. He showed promise when he was converted from an infielder to a pitcher last summer at short-season, Single-A Aberdeen, going 2-1 with an 0.90 ERA over 19 games.

This season with Single-A Frederick, he was 1-3 with a 7.29 ERA and allowed 29 hits and 14 walks over 21 innings for the Keys.

Last summer, I wrote this about his move to the mound and the promising early returns.