SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020 • GAME #15 • ROAD GAME #6 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (7-7) at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (4-7) RHP Asher Wojciechowski (0-2, 5.40) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (18-6, 3.32 in ‘19) O’s SEASON BREAKDOWN SEEKING THE SWEEP: A win today would give the Orioles their second series sweep of the LEFTY-LOOSEY Overall 7-7 season and first since July 31-August 2 when the O’s swept the Tampa Bay Rays in a three- Most hits against left-handed pitching since 2019: Home 3-6 game series at Oriole Park...The sweep of the Rays marked the O’s first series sweep since 1. HANSER ALBERTO, BAL 94 Road 4-1 August 27-29, 2018 when they swept Toronto in a three-game set at Camden Yards. 2. Charlie Blackmon, COL 78 Day 3-0 The Orioles last series sweep of the Nationals came on May 8-9, 2017 when the O’s 3. DJ LeMahieu, NYY 63 Night 4-7 swept a two-game series at Oriole Park...Their last three-game series sweep of Wash- Carlos Santana, CLE 63 Current Streak W2 ington came on September 22--24, 2015 at Nationals Park. Jonathan Villar, BAL/MIA 63 Last 5 Games 2-3 The O’s last series sweep on the road came on June 5-6, 2018 when the Orioles swept Last 10 Games 5-5 the New York Mets in a two-game set at Citi Field...The Orioles last three-game series EXTRA, EXTRA! July 3-3 sweep on the road came on August 25-27, 2017 against the Boston Red Sox, when the Team extra-base hit leaders in the majors: August 4-4 O’s won all three at Fenway Park. September -- 1. Kansas City Royals 57 vs. LHSP 2-1 IN A PINCH: Pat Valaika and Pedro Severino hit back-to-back, pinch-hit home runs in the top 2. Los Angeles Dodgers 55 vs. RHSP 5-6 of the eighth inning of Saturday night’s 5-3 win at Washington...It marked the first pinch-hit home 3. BALTIMORE ORIOLES 51 Series Opener 2-3 run of the season for Valaika and the sixth of his career...It was the first pinch-hit homer of the San Diego Padres 51 Series Opener at Home 1-2 season for Severino and the second of his career. 5. Atlanta Braves 48 Series Opener on Road 1-1 According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the back-to-back blasts marked the first by 6. Houston Astros 47 By Series 3-2-0 pinch-hitters since September 3, 2018 when Alen Hanson and Chris Shaw did so for 7. San Francisco Giants 46 By Home Series 1-2-0 the San Francisco Giants at Colorado...It marked the first pinch-hit back-to-back home By Road Series 2-0-0 runs for the Orioles since August 12, 1985 when Wayne Gross and Larry Sheets did EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA! Rubber Games 1-0 Orioles extra-base hit leaders: Sweeps/Were Swept 1-2 so against Cleveland at Memorial Stadium, and only the third occurrence in O’s history. 1. Renato Núñez 9 3rd in AL Scored First 5-0 I SAN-TAN-DARE YOU: OF Anthony Santander connected for a three-run, go-ahead home 2. Hanser Alberto 8 T-4th in AL Opponent Scored First 2-7 run in the top of the eighth inning, giving the Orioles a 5-3 lead...Eight of his 14 hits this season Anthony Santander 8 T-4th in AL 1-run games 1-3 have been for extra-bases (4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs). th Comeback Wins 2-2 4. José Iglesias 7 T-11 in AL Last AB Wins 1-1 IF YOU AIN’T FIRST, YOU’RE LAST: The Orioles have been one of the more successful teams TACTICAL OPS Walkoff Wins 1-0 in baseball at swinging at the first pitch...They rank first in the majors in batting average (.475), Team OPS leaders in the majors: Extra Innings 1-0 doubles (9), extra-base hits (16), and OPS (1.450), and lead the AL and rank second in the Led After 6 5-0 majors in hits (28) as a team on the first pitch. 1. New York Yankees .803 Led After 7 6-0 OF Anthony Santander leads the O’s with seven hits on the first pitch, tied for most in 2. Philadelphia Phillies .789 Led After 8 6-1 the majors. (tied with Chicago-AL’s Luis Robert). 3. Colorado Rockies .776 Tied After 6 1-1 4. BALTIMORE ORIOLES .770 Santander is tied for the Major-League lead with four extra-base hits on the first pitch, Tied After 7 -- while INF Renato Núñez is tied for third in the majors with three hits on the first pitch. 5. Los Angeles Dodgers .767 Tied After 8 1-0 6. San Diego Padres .762 Behind After 6 1-6 THESE GO TO 11: The Orioles recorded a season-high 19 hits in Friday night’s 11-0 win at 7. Detroit Tigers .759 Behind After 7 1-5 Washington...The 19 hits marked the most for the O’s since August 30, 2019 at Kansas City (21). 8. Chicago Cubs .757 Behind After 8 0-4 According to STATS, LLC., the O’s 11-0 win marked the largest shutout victory by a team 9. Chicago White Sox .746 vs. A.L. Teams 5-3 off a 100-loss season against a defending World Series champion in Major League history. vs. N.L. Teams 2-4 The shutout marked the eighth road shutout of at least 11 runs in O’s history (since 1954) O’s TOP 10 PROSPECTS Hit 0 HR 1-3 and their largest shutout victory on the road since September 4, 2012 (12-0 at Toronto). Top 10 prospects, according to MLB.com: Hit 1+ HR 6-4 Scored 3 or Fewer Runs 0-5 Friday night marked the O’s fourth ever shutout against the Nationals, with three of the four 1. Adley Rutschman C Scored 4 or More Runs 7-2 coming at Nationals Park...It also marked the largest win against the Nationals in O’s history. 2. Grayson Rodriguez RHP Allowed 3 or Fewer Runs 5-2 3. Heston Kjerstad OF MAKE MINE A DOUBLE: INF José Iglesias went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Friday’s 4. DL Hall LHP Allowed 4 or More Runs 2-5 win...His four hits matched his career-high and marked his sixth career four-hit game (second More Hits than Opponent 5-1 5. Ryan Mountcastle INF/OF this season)...He is tied for the Major-League lead with seven doubles. Fewer Hits than Opponent 1-4 6 Gunnar Henderson INF According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Iglesias’ seven doubles in his first 10 games Committed No Errors 3-3 7. Jordan Westburg INF Committed 1 or More Errors 4-4 were the most doubles in Orioles history through a player’s first 10 games of a season. 8. Yusniel Diaz OF 9. Michael Baumann RHP VS. WASHINGTON ALL ABOUT THAT (ON) BASE: The Orioles rank second in the American League and fourth in 10. Dean Kremer RHP Record in 2020 2-0 the majors with a .770 team OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage)...INF Renato at Home 0-0 Núñez (1.027) leads the team and ranks sixth in the AL in OPS among qualifying hitters. CURRENT ROAD TRIP at Washington 2-0 Record 2-0 RACKING UP THE K’S: From July 29-August 2, O’s pitchers struck out at least 10 batters in five Team AVG/OBP/SLG .321/.379/.564 Team AVG/OBP/SLG .321/.379/.564 consecutive games, setting a new club record...The previous record of four-straight had been done Runs per Game 8.0 (16 R/2 G) Runs per Game 8.00 (16 R/2 G) three times...The O’s have recorded 10-or-more strikeouts in eight of their 14 games this season. Fielding Errors 1 All-Time Record (since 1997) 49-42 The O’s rank sixth in the AL with a 8.93 strikeouts per 9.0 innings mark (120 K/121.0 IP). All-Time at Home 28-18 Orioles starting pitchers are tied for ninth in the AL with 58 strikeouts...Only Rays start- Team ERA 1.50 (3 ER/18.0 IP) All-Time at Montreal/Washington 21-24 ers (69 K) have more among AL East clubs. Starters W-L 1-0 Starters ERA 1.80 (2 ER/10.0 IP) ORIOLES - NATIONALS HEAD-TO-HEAD THAT HANSER IS SO HOT RIGHT NOW: Since the start of the 2019 season, INF Hanser Starters Strikeouts/Walks 5/0 BALTIMORE ..................... WASHINGTON Alberto leads the majors with 94 hits off of left-handed pitching (16 more than then the next on 2-0 .....................Record .......................0-2 the list)...In that time, he also leads the majors with a .407 (94-for-231) average against lefties... Bullpen W-L-S 1-0-1 .321 ..................Average .................... .194 This season, Alberto ranks ninth in the AL with a .333 (20-for-60) against all pitchers. Bullpen ERA 1.13 (1 ER/8.0 IP) 16 ........................Runs............................ 3 Bullpen Strikeouts/Walks 9/5 25 .........................Hits ........................... 12 INTERLEAGUE INFO: The O’s will play a total of 20 games against National League opponents Saves/Opps 1/1 4 ....................Home Runs ...................... 1 this season, including contests with the Miami Marlins (0-4), Washington Nationals (2-0), Phila- 1.13 ....................