The Orioles return home to Camden Yards following a six game road trip that saw the O’s go 2-4. They came home to face the very surprising Chicago White Sox, who come into the series leading the American League Central.

Game One: Orioles: 10, White Sox: 2

The O’s started off the series very promising by delivering three home runs on the night. Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo hit back to back home runs in the bottom of the third inning while Manny Machado hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.

As for the Orioles pitching, Tyler Wilson made his second start of the season going 4 2/3, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three and walked only one. Mychal Givens came in to relieve Wilson in the top of the 5th and pitched one more inning on the night. Dylan Bundy threw two scoreless innings and T.J. McFarland finished up the game for the O’s in the ninth inning.

Surprisingly enough, this is only the second game the Orioles have gotten double digit runs in. The other one came against the Texas Rangers on April 15th when they scored 11 runs.

Game Two: Orioles: 6, White Sox: 3

With less home runs in this game, the Orioles relied more on producing runs. This started in the bottom of the fifth when Jonathan Schoop got a two RBI single which gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead at the time.

Later in the inning, Joey Rickard grounded into a force out and Nolan Reimold was able to score on a throwing error by Jimmy Rollins.

The White Sox eventually tied it up with runs in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively which did not last long. In the bottom of the seventh, Nolan Reimold hit a three run home run to give the Orioles a 6-3 lead.

Mike Wright pitched very well in this game, going six innings allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six and walking two. He was helped out in the bottom of the sixth by a flyout to Adam Jones along with an outfield assist by throwing out a runner at home plate.

Brad Brach pitched the seventh inning and gave up the home run to Brett Lawrie to tie the game but eventually got the win because he was the pitcher of record when Reimold hit his three run home run. Baseball makes no sense sometimes. Darren O’Day and Zach Britton each worked scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth respectively to give the Orioles the win.

Game Three: White Sox: 8, Orioles: 7

Game three of this four game series was easily the most stressful. It also did not help that I was flipping back and forth between this game and the Washington Capitals playoff game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, making for an all around stressful night for yours truly.

Pedro Alvarez easily had his best night as an Oriole going 3-5 with a double, single, and home run. Hyun Soo Kim also got the start in the game and he did not disappoint either. Kim went 3-4 on the night with a double and two singles, bumping his average up to .600.

The scariest moment came in the top of the ninth, however, when Zach Britton had to leave the game due to a left ankle injury. As of right now, he is day to day and is scheduled to get an X-Ray done on the off day Monday.

As for the other Orioles pitchers in the game, Kevin Gausman made his second start of the season going six innings allowing two earned runs, three total, on four hits while striking out three and walking one. Mychal Givens, Brian Matusz, Darren O’Day, the aforementioned Britton and Vance Worley all worked in relief of Gausman.

Game Four: White Sox: 7, Orioles: 1

Easily the worst game of the season so far, for many reasons, it did not seem to start that way. Ubaldo Jimenez was handed the ball for the game and fought through some rough patches which includes allowing no runs and getting three outs with the bases loaded.

The wheels started to fall off a little bit in the top of the fourth when Brett Lawrie hit his fourth home run of the season, third in the series, to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead at the time.

It just got worse from there as the White Sox put five runs on the board in the top of the fifth, chasing Jimenez from the game for Vance Worley, who pitched very well. Worley on the day total went 3 1/3 innings allowing no runs on four hits and struck out five and walked only one.

Brian Matusz came on to finish out the game in the ninth inning and allowed one more run to the White Sox to make it 7-1.

But once again, another day and another injury concern for the Orioles. This time, it is J.J. Hardy.

Hardy left the game before the start of the bottom of the sixth due to a reported foot injury that has all Orioles fans right how hoping it is just discomfort and not something that will be stretched out over a period of time.

For as promising as this series started out, it turned dark very fast. The only hope now is that both Zach Britton and J.J. Hardy are both well enough to get back playing as soon as possible because both players make the team a whole lot better.

As for the series ahead, the Orioles welcome the struggling New York Yankees to Camden Yards for the first time this season. The Yankees come in with a five game losing streak which just included being swept by their arch rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

As of Sunday night, the only scheduled pitching matchup is set for the opener of the series and it will include Chris Tillman going for the O’s with Luis Severino going for the Yankees.