masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgAfter posting 3-2 and 4-2 wins over Minnesota the last two nights, the Orioles seek a three-game sweep of the Twins tonight at Camden Yards. Their last three-game home sweep of Minnesota came April 6-8, 2012.
After going 0-7 versus Minnesota in 2015 and being outscored 43-18, the O’s could have a 3-0 start this season with a victory tonight.
O’s pitching has allowed just 12 hits on four runs so far with six walks to 23 strikeouts. The two starters – Chris Tillman and Yovani Gallardo -…

After posting 3-2 and 4-2 wins over Minnesota the last two nights, the Orioles seek a three-game sweep of the Twins tonight at Camden Yards. Their last three-game home sweep of Minnesota came April 6-8, 2012.

After going 0-7 versus Minnesota in 2015 and being outscored 43-18, the O’s could have a 3-0 start this season with a victory tonight.

O’s pitching has allowed just 12 hits on four runs so far with six walks to 23 strikeouts. The two starters – Chris Tillman and Yovani Gallardo – combined to give up just one run over seven innings. On offense, the O’s are batting .284 with 19 hits and 11 walks. Joey Rickard is batting .571 (4-for-7) and Mark Trumbo is batting .500 (4-for-8).

On the mound tonight, Ubaldo Jimenez (12-10 with a 4.11 ERA in 2015) starts against Twins right-hander Phil Hughes (11-9 with 4.40 ERA in 2015).

While Jimenez had an ERA of 5.88 last July and 6.35 in August, he finished strong in the last months of 2015. He went 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in six starts in September and October.

Jimenez recorded his 100th career win in a 4-1 victory over the Nationals on Sept. 22, 2015. Of his 100 career wins, 56 came as a member of the Colorado Rockies. He is 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA and with six quality starts over eight career appearances (seven starts) versus the Twins.

Hughes went just 2-6 with an ERA of 5.10 last season in 12 road starts. He gave up a batting average against of .319 in those games and allowed 14 homers over 67 innings.

Left-handed batters hit .282 with an OPS of .761 against Hughes in 2015 and right-handed batters did even better, hitting .304 with an OPS of .869.

Championship rings: Before the Double-A Bowie Baysox begin a new season at home tonight, they will hand out championship rings to returning players from the 2015 Eastern League champions. Bowie hosts Akron and Erie as part of a season-opening seven-game homestand at Prince George’s Stadium.

Championship Ring.jpg

Starting lineups tonight in the minors:

Norfolk
CF – Xavier Avery
LF – Christian Walker
1B – Joey Terdoslavich
RF – Dariel Alvarez
DH – Henry Urrutia
C – Francisco Pena
2B – Steve Tolleson
3B – Michael Almanzar
SS – Paul Janish
P – Odrisamer Despaigne

Bowie
CF – Julio Borbon
2B – Garabez Rosa
1B – Trey Mancini
LF – Quincy Latimore
C – Chance Sisco
RF – Mike Yastrzemski
DH – Corban Joseph
3B – Drew Dosch
SS – Adrian Marin
P – Joe Gunkel

Frederick
LF – Jay Gonzalez
2B – Steve Wilkerson
CF – Josh Hart
1B – Aderlin Rodriguez
3B – Jomar Reyes
DH – Cam Kneeland
C – Jonah Heim
RF – Tad Gold
SS – Erick Salcedo
P – Mitch Horacek

Delmarva
CF – Cedric Mullins
RF – Ademar Rifaela
LF – D.J. Stewart
DH – Alex Murphy
SS – Ryan Mountcastle
3B – Alejandro Juvier
1B – Steve Laurino
2B – Drew Turbin
C – Stuart Levy
P – Lucas Long