Baltimore Orioles: The Best Time to Beat Yankees

Jun 21, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) and Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones (10) high five after defeating the New York Yankees during a game at Yankee Stadium. Both players homered in the win. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

I know what Baltimore Orioles fans are thinking – “There’s a best time to beat the Yankees? I thought the best time was every time!” Well, yes, that is true. So maybe we’ll just say this is an especially best time to knock them off.

Entering the three-game series with the Yankees that begins tonight at Oriole Park, the Birds have a five-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays and a six-game lead over the New Yorkers.

The Orioles are 3-6 against the Yankees this year, meaning that there are still 10 games remaining versus the Evil Empire.

Though the Baltimore Orioles have been winning series one after another for some time now, actually sweeping them is very difficult. But if the O’s could somehow take all three games and dump the Yanks to nine games behind, that would make for a rather deep hole. Some might even say that the size of shape of it would constitute such a hole being called a “grave.”

On the other hand, should the Orioles drop the whole series, it would bring New York right back into a tight race – likely along with the Jays. So there is a lot at stake.

With the entire Yankees pitching rotation all on the DL together at some points this season, it is a wonder that the pinstripes should have been able to even remain in the race at all. Actually, some of those taking the place of the regulars on the mound have pitched quite well, and the Orioles are going to be seeing them this week.

The Orioles will be pitching Bud Norris tonight, with Wei-Yin Chen and Chris Tillman to follow. The Yankees will open with Chris Capuano, to be followed by Shane Greene and Esmil Rogers. Since these New York pitchers are not exactly household names, let’s take a quick look at each of them…

Chris Capuano has a career record of 74-85, 4.26. Most of those numbers are from the National League. This is only his fourth start and his numbers for this season are 1-2, 3.91 over 50.2 innings. He has only ever pitched a few relief innings against the Orioles.

On Tuesday night, Shane Greene will try to replicate his July 12^th start against the O’s – a night where he held them scoreless on four hits over 7.1 innings, including nine strikeouts. It was the very best game of his entire MLB career, which now spans a total of seven games! Actually, he might say his last outing of shutting out the Tigers over eight innings was his best. So, will the Orioles be able to move past their common experience of being shut down by a pitcher never before seen by them?