Alright, Orioles, this whole not scoring run things has stopped being funny now, so let's move on from this phase and get back into the world-beating, home run-smashing mode that we all know you're capable of. Please and thanks.
The Orioles are in the position of having to beat the good teams while their closest divisional competitors, the Blue Jays, are facing the Astros. It's not ideal, but you gotta win the games in front of you if you want to make it to the postseason. The O's are 13 games over .500, which is nice. The Jays have won nine of ten, though. The thing about being good and winning games is you have to keep winning.
Pitchers
LHP Roenis Elias, Mariners
2014: 21 GS, 123.1 IP, 4.31 ERA, 110 SO, 45 BB, .245 BAA, 1.27 WHIP
Last start (vs. Orioles): 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO
Well, this guy looks familiar. The O's didn't do so hot against him the last time around, but maybe they'll hit him better in their home park? Or maybe they'll do better against him now that they've seen him quite recently, learning from their mistakes. Ahaha, I crack myself up sometimes.
Elias has been slightly better on the road (3.95 ERA) but significantly worse in his night starts (5.31 ERA), so we will see which of these trends prevails tonight. With the way the Orioles offense has looked lately, his marginal road success may be what holds up.
LHP Wei-Yin Chen, Orioles
2014: 20 GS, 117 IP, 3.92 ERA, 82 SO, 20 BB, .279 BAA, 1.26 WHIP
Last start (at Mariners): 8 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
If the most recent outing is a sign for tonight, then maybe it's good news for the Orioles after all, as Chen had one of the best outings of his career, and the longest outing of this season, the last time around. Chen has an almost identical home/road ERA (3.92 vs. 3.93), so there's no concern over splits there. He is the same Chen everywhere. Maybe he can be the same Chen as his last start, only this time at Camden Yards. That would be nice for the Orioles.
Lineups
Oh, hey, Chris Davis is back. Maybe he'll get himself back above the Mendoza Line, or maybe he'll strike out or ground out into the shift every time he comes to the plate. New Mariners Chris Denorfia and Austin Jackson will be making their Seattle debut, so it is, in fact, a new-look lineup for them since the last time the O's saw them. Same old Orioles, though.