masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgHere’s a nugget for lunch, which isn’t deep-fried and doesn’t come with any dipping sauces:

According to the MLB Network, Manny Machado has the most hits in a month (44) by a player under 21 since Mickey Mantle had 46 in July 1952.

Machado leads the majors with 25 doubles – Boston’s Mike Napoli is next with 19 – and he’s tied with Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera with 79 hits.

The Tigers are in town tonight to start a three-game series. I wonder if the Machado-Cabrera angle will get the proper…Here’s a nugget for lunch, which isn’t deep-fried and doesn’t come with any dipping sauces:

According to the MLB Network, Manny Machado has the most hits in a month (44) by a player under 21 since Mickey Mantle had 46 in July 1952.

Machado leads the majors with 25 doubles – Boston’s Mike Napoli is next with 19 – and he’s tied with Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera with 79 hits.

The Tigers are in town tonight to start a three-game series. I wonder if the Machado-Cabrera angle will get the proper attention.

I’d compare their meeting this weekend to a heavyweight fight, but they belong in different weight classes. Machado is listed at 180 pounds, which is Cabrera’s big toe. And they won’t actually be facing each other.

Machado is now batting .360 against right-handers, and he’s facing another one tonight in Max Scherzer, who’s won all seven decisions this season.

Scherzer is 2-1 with a 4.68 ERA in four career starts against the Orioles, with 34 hits, five walks and 25 strikeouts in 25 innings. He’s allowed eight earned runs (nine total) and 16 hits in 12 innings at Camden Yards.

Machado has never faced Scherzer.

Adam Jones is 6-for-12 with two doubles against Scherzer. Matt Wieters is 5-for-12. Chris Davis and Nick Markakis are each 4-for-11. Markakis has two doubles.

J.J. Hardy has hit the only home run off Scherzer among players on the Orioles’ current 25-man roster, but he’s 3-for-18.

Cabrera is 0-for-3 with a strikeout against Miguel Gonzalez, who allowed three runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings in his only start against the Tigers, on July 15, 2012. He gave up a leadoff home run to Austin Jackson and tied his career-high with five walks.

The Orioles are 11-5-2 in series and 20-12 when scoring first. They’re 20-9 when outhitting their opponents.

Nate McLouth extended his hitting streak to eight games last night while going 3-for-4. He has five multi-hit games during that span. He’s batting .409 (18-for-44) with seven multi-hit games in his last 10.

Nick Markakis has hits in 18 of his last 20 games, batting .376 with eight doubles, three homers, 17 RBIs and 14 runs scored.