O's game blog: Looking for another series victory

As the Orioles look to win the finale of a four-game series this afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels, they send the pitcher to the mound that has been their most consistent starter this year. 

Right-hander Tyler Wells (3-1, 2.68 ERA) will make his ninth appearance and eighth start. He leads the majors in WHIP at 0.723, and his ERA ranks eighth-best among qualifying pitchers in the American League.

The Orioles are 6-2 in Wells' outings this year, and they won 2-0 on Saturday at Oriole Park versus Pittsburgh when he pitched a gem. Over seven scoreless innings he allowed one hit with two walks and eight strikeouts on 96 pitches. It was his second outing of seven scoreless this season – he also did that April 21 versus Detroit.

In his past two starts – against Atlanta and Pittsburgh – he has pitched 12 innings, allowing four hits and one run.

Wells has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his starts, throwing two quality starts. In four home games, he is 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 0.8701 WHIP.

He has been so good this year that opponents are not putting up a good batting average against any of his pitches.

Wells throws his fastball 37 percent and allows a .167 average.

Wells uses his changeup 20 percent and yields a .143 batting average.

Wells throws his slider 16 percent and allows a .133 average.

Wells uses his cutter 16 percent with an average against of .160.

Wells throws a curve 11 percent at a batting average of .154.

On the year, lefties bat just .162 off him with an OPS of .553, and right-handers hit .144/.490.

He ranks in the top 10 percent of MLB in fastball spin rate, the top 17 percent in walk percentage and the top 38 percent in chase rate. He is throwing quality pitches, commanding them and, at times, getting hitters to chase them out of the strike zone.

So yeah, a pretty good year, and another solid outing today could help the Orioles improve to 11-3 in series this year, and they are 5-1 in home series. The Orioles have won nine of their past 10 series – losing only to Atlanta – since April 10.

Since beginning a much tougher part of their schedule on May 5 at Atlanta, the Orioles are 7-5. They went 1-2 at Atlanta, 2-1 versus Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh and are 2-1 in this series against the Angels.

Los Angeles is 22-22, and today playing the seventh (2-4) and final game of a road trip to Cleveland (1-2) and Baltimore (1-2).

With an even record, the Halos are back at .500 for a 10th time this season (also, 1-1, 5-5, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12 and 14-14).

The Angels starter today is lefty Tyler Anderson (1-0, 5.26 ERA), who will be making his eighth start. The team is 4-3 in the first seven. 

Anderson got his season off to a poor start and had an ERA of 7.20 through his first four starts. Over his last three, his ERA is 3.06 and the team is 2-1. Over 17 2/3 innings in that span, he has allowed six earned runs with a .239 average against and .715 OPS. 

After last night's 3-1 win, the Orioles are 6-3 on a 10-game homestand that ends today.