The last few starts by Philip Humber have been less than ideal. In three trips to the mound he's earned three losses, and given up four runs on anywhere between 4.2 and 6.1 innings pitched. And the start before those three? Six earned runs given up for just 3.2 innings. Now he'll hope that the recent Sox surge will help him get back on track against the Orioles.
On the season, Humber, 8-8 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, has been quite the pleasant surprise for the Sox rotation. His recent troubles are very much unexpected and troubling for a team that is trying to make an end of season playoff push. But there is hope that the O's are just the right team to help him out of his slump. In his last start against Baltimore, Humber threw 7.0 innings and gave up just two runs on three hits and a walk, while striking out five. This year, Robert Andino is 1-for-2 against Humber with a home run.
Tommy Hunter, 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, will head to the mound for the O's. Hunter has started one game against the Sox before, in which he threw 7.0 innings, giving up just one run on nine hits and one walk, while striking out three.
The weather in Baltimore is forecast to be hot and sunny, with a game time temperature in the upper 80's. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 P.M., CDT, and the game will be televised on CSN and MASN 2 HD.