Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
While October is seemingly just around the corner, every game is crucial to a team’s playoff hopes. With 100 games having been played so far, the Baltimore Orioles sit 2.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. Coming off of Monday’s 9-2 win against the Kansas City Royals, the Orioles are one of the hottest teams in baseball. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games including a current five-game winning streak. The O’s will look to continue the streak Tuesday in Kansas City. As for the Royals, they are trying to make a big comeback the second half of the season because they are eight games back of the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central
The starting pitching match-up will be right handed Jason Hammel (7-6) on the hill for Baltimore and lefty Bruce Chen (3-0f) for Kansas City. In 19 starts this season, Hammel’s ERA is a dreadful 5.24 compared to a solid 2.04 ERA for Chen who is making just his second start since being relieved of his bullpen duties.
The Orioles have one of the top offenses in all of baseball, led by first baseman Chris Davis. Davis is currently leading the majors with 37 HR and 97 RBI. If it wasn’t for Miguel Cabrera making another run at a Triple Crown, Davis could be the front runner for the AL MVP. A strong second half could catapult Davis ahead of Cabrera with Cabrera leaving Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox with a sore hip flexor.
This is one of the more intriguing and important games of Tuesday’s 16 scheduled contests.
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