Series preview: Orioles at Minnesota

Game Preview Orioles (51-73) at Minnesota (61-63) After winning a series for the first time since the All-Star break the Orioles take a little momentum into Minnesota, the last stop on their three-city, nine-game road trip. The O's and Twins begin a three-game series tonight at 8:05 p.m. Series Pitching Matchups: Mon, 8:10p - Chris Tillman (1-1, 4.80) v. Scott Baker (11-7, 4.62) Tues, 8:10p - Brian Matusz (2-2, 6.75) v. Armando Gabino (ML debut) Wed, 8:10p - Jeremy Guthrie (8-12, 5.45) v. Nick Blackburn (8-8, 4.27) Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie homered Sunday in the O's 5-4 win at Chicago. That gave the O's a 2-1 win in that series and a 5-4 win over Chicago in the season series. The O's have hit a homer in seven of the last eight games, with 13 total in that stretch. The Orioles are 3-3 on this road trip, winning three of the last four games. They are 21-42 on the road on the year. The Orioles bullpen has been outstanding during this road trip, yielding just 2ER over 17 1/3 innings for an ERA of 1.04. The Birds one-run record is 14-16 after Sunday's win. Nick Markakis had two hits on Sunday and is now batting .351-7-28 in the second-half. He is 9 for 24 on the road trip. Nolan Reimold is batting .308-2-6 during his current ten-game hitting streak. Reimold is 8 for 24 on the road trip with two homers and 6 RBI. Brian Roberts hit his AL-leading 47th double Sunday and has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games. During that stretch, he is batting .390-5-13. Roberts has hit nine doubles during that stretch and has 19 over his past 35 games. The Orioles and Twins will play only five times this year. The Birds swept a two-game series in early May at home by scores of 4-1 and 5-4 over Minnesota. The Twins are two games under .500, yet are in third in the AL Central, just 4 ½ games back of first-place Detroit. Minnesota beat KC 10-3 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and wrap up a 5-2 road trip. Minnesota has won five of its last six games. The Twins have been one of the AL's best hitting teams in August, with a team batting average of .302 this month and 127 runs in the month to average 6.0 per game. Joe Mauer is batting .442-7-21 in August. That's the best batting average of any Major Leaguer this month. O's hitters this year vs. Twins: Andino: 0-0 Aubrey: 0-0 Izturis: 2-5, rbi Jones: 2-7 Markakis: 2-6/1/2 Moeller: 0-0 Mora: 2-6/1/1 Pie: 0-2 Reimold: 0-0 Roberts: 0-7 Scott: 2-2/1/2 Wieters: 0-0 Wigginton: 1-4 The O's hit .321 (17 for 53) with four homers in those two earlier wins vs. Minnesota.