CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:

WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
The Chicago White Sox have lost 12 of their last 17 games and 24 of 35 as they conclude a brief three-game trip this afternoon at Baltimore, owners of the best record in the American League. RHP Dylan Cease, who is 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA (10 ER/29.1 IP) and 38 strikeouts in five career starts against the Orioles, is scheduled to start for the White Sox. The Sox have lost the first two games of this series by a combined 18-3 margin are looking to avoid being swept at Camden Yards for the first time since 5/5-7/17. Following today’s game and an off day tomorrow, the White Sox return home for three vs. Detroit (9/1-3) before taking a six-game, seven-day trip to Kansas City (9/4-6) and Detroit (9/8-10). The Sox went 3-4 homestand on their last homestand vs. Seattle (1-2) and Oakland (2-2) from 8/21-27 and 2-3 on their last trip to the Cubs (1-1) and Colorado (1-2) from 8/15-20.

TODAY’S STORYLINES
The White Sox have scored three runs in this series. Dylan Cease is 1-3 with an 8.22 ERA (21 ER/23.0 IP) over five starts in August. Sox 1-2 hitters Tim Anderson and Andrew Benintendi are a combined 0-16 in the series. Anderson needs three hits to become the 19th player in history to record his first 1,000 career in a Sox uniform (STATS). Luis Robert Jr. has recorded three straight multihit games, going 6-11 (.545) with three doubles. Yoán Moncada is hitting .338/.375/.544 (23-68) with eight doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI over his last 19 games. Baltimore-area native Gavin Sheets is 14-26 (.600) with two homers and eight RBI in his last eight games against the Orioles.

WHITE SOX VS. BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The Orioles lead the season series, 4-1, winning the first two games of this series by a combined 18-3 margin after taking two of three games in Chicago from 4/14-16 … the White Sox were unable to hold three-plus run leads in their two losses at home. The Sox are hitting .229/.279/.367 (38-166) with a 7.16 ERA (35 ER/44.0 IP) and have been outscored, 38-17 … they have issued 34 walks in the five games. The Orioles won the 2022 season series, 5-2, taking three of four games in Chicago from 6/23-26 and two of three at Camden Yards from 8/23-25.

84 STARTER DYLAN CEASE RHP

CEASE AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his 28th start of the season, 14th on the road and second against the Baltimore Orioles. Ranks among American League leaders this season in starts (T1st, 27), HR/9.0 IP (3rd, 0.89), SO/9.0 IP (3rd, 10.69) and strikeouts (5th, 169). Is 1-4 with a 7.85 ERA (25 ER/28.2 IP), .314 (38-121) opponents average, 21 walks and 31 strikeouts over his last six starts … tossed 6.0-plus IP in just one of those starts. Has allowed one run or less while tossing 5.0-plus IP in 30 starts since 2022 … the 30 starts are the most in baseball ahead of the Dodgers’ Julio Urias and Astros’ Justin Verlander (27). According to Elias, he is the fastest White Sox pitcher to reach 700 career strikeouts (583.0 IP). Is tied for second in MLB since 2021 in starts (91) and ranks fifth in SO/9.0 IP (11.38) and strikeouts (622). Was the 2022 AL Cy Young Award runner-up and has been named American League Pitcher of the month twice in his career (June and July 2022).

LAST START
Suffered the loss on 8/25 vs. Oakland, allowing a career-high nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits with five walks and six strikeouts over 4.1 IP … allowed five runs in the second inning, one in the fourth and three in the fifth … failed to record 5.0 IP in his second straight start. Departed the game in the fifth with one out, runners on first and second and the White Sox trailing, 8-3 … threw 96 pitches (52 strikes) … Chicago lost, 12-4. Owned a 70.4 first-strike percentage and 12.5 swinging-strike percentage (12 swing and misses) vs. 27 batters … threw 38 sliders (85.3 mph avg; 87.1 mph max), 37 four-seam fastballs (95.2 avg; 96.5 max), 19 knuckle curveballs (79.6 avg; 82.5 max) and two changeups (71.5 avg; 71.8 max).

VS. BALTIMORE ORIOLES || A.L. EAST
Is scheduled to make his sixth career start against the Orioles and third at Camden Yards. Received a no decision in his last on 4/16 at Guaranteed Rate Field, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with five walks and five strikeouts over 6.0 IP … lost his last start at Baltimore on 8/23/22 (4 ER/5.1 IP). Has recorded double-digit strikeouts twice, including a career-high 13 on 6/26/22 at home. Went 2-2 with a 4.43 ERA (20 ER/40.2 IP), .203 (30- 148) opponents average and 64 strikeouts over eight starts against the American League East last season.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:

HOT AUGUST: The Orioles have gone 18-8 in August, their most wins in a single month since going 18-9 in April…Their 18 wins this month are second in the AL and fourth in MLB, behind the Dodgers (23-4), Mariners (20-6), and Braves (19-8)…With a win today, the Orioles would clinch their first month with at least 19 wins since going 19-9 in June 2016.

SWEEPLESS IN BALTIMORE: The Orioles have gone 82 consecutive series of at least two decisions (no ties) without being swept…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the fifth-longest such streak in MLB history, trailing the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals (124), 1906- 09 Chicago Cubs (115), 1903-05 New York Giants (105), and 1922-24 New York Yankees (83)… Baltimore’s current streak is the longest in O’s history, ahead of 46 consecutive sweepless series from 1971-72…The Birds have not been swept in a series of at least two games since May 13-15, 2022 at Detroit (0-3), and not at home in a series of at least two games since August 27-29, 2021 vs. Tampa Bay (0-3).

SOMETHING IN THE ORANGE: The O’s have won six of their last seven games, nine of 11, 12 of 16, 17 of 24, 20 of 28, 26 of 38, and 34 of 48…At 83-49 (.629), the Orioles have the best record in the AL and second-best in MLB (see box at right)…With their 82nd win on Monday, the O’s clinched a winning season for the second straight year; they were the first team in the AL to clinch a winning record this season, and second in MLB behind the Braves, who won their 82nd game on August 23…The Birds are 34-14 (.708) since July 5, the best record in the AL and second-best in MLB during that time, behind only the Dodgers (35-11, .761)…The team had a season-best eight-game winning streak from July 5-16, Baltimore’s longest since a 10-gamer from July 3-13, 2022…The O’s are 145-98 (.597) since June 2022, the second-best record in the AL and fourthbest in MLB during that time. The O’s hold a 2.5-game lead over the Rays in the AL East.

FEELS GOOD TO BE HOME: The Orioles are wrapping up a nine-game homestand against the Blue Jays (2-1), Rockies (2-1), and White Sox (2-0)…After the current homestand, the O’s embark on a nine-game road trip with three games each at Arizona (September 1-3), Los Angeles-AL (September 4-6), and Boston (September 8-10)…The team has scheduled off days tomorrow and Thursday, September 7. The Orioles are 42-25 (.627) at home this season, the third-best home record in the AL and fifth-best in MLB; with their 41st home win Monday night, the O’s have clinched a winning record at home for the second straight year.

AGAINST THE WHITE SOX: The O’s and White Sox are concluding their second and final series of the season today…Baltimore took two of three games at Guaranteed Rate Field from April 14-16…The Orioles are 9-3 against Chicago-AL since the start of 2022 after being swept in the season series (0-7) in 2021…The O’s clinched their second straight season series victory over the White Sox last night…With a win today, the Birds would secure their first sweep of the White Sox since taking a three-game set in Baltimore from May 5-7, 2017.

MAKING THEIR PITCH: The O’s have a 3.48 ERA (180 ER/465.2 IP) since July 1, the third-best team ERA in MLB during that time behind Seattle (3.17) and Toronto (3.42)…The Orioles have gone 35-17 (.673) over that period, the second-best record in the AL and third-best in MLB… Baltimore posted a 4.33 ERA (346 ER/719.1 IP) through June, ranked 18th in MLB.

STARTING PITCHER – #48 KYLE GIBSON RHP

QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 28th start of the season, 12th at home, and 20th career start against the White Sox today…Entering play today, Gibson is one of seven MLB pitchers and two AL hurlers with at least 13 wins…Became the first O’s pitcher in club history (since 1954) to start and win each of his three first appearances with the team…Started a season 4-0 for the second time in his career, joining a 6-0 start with Texas in 2021; became the fifth Oriole starting pitcher since 2004 to begin a year 4-0, joining John Means (4-0 in 2021), Bud Norris (4-0 in 2013), Wei-Yin Chen (4-0 in 2012), and Erik Bedard (4-0 in 2006)…The O’s signed Gibson to a one-year contract on December 5, 2022…He has also spent time with the Twins, Phillies, and Rangers across 10 Major League seasons.

LAST TIME OUT: Earned his 13th win of the season, tying his career high (2014 and 2019 w/ MIN), in his last outing on August 24 vs. Toronto…Allowed three runs on six hits (1 HR) with one walk and eight strikeouts in a season-high 8.0 innings, the longest start by an O’s hurler this season…Set down the first nine hitters of the game before allowing a single to Whit Merrifield in the fourth inning…Threw 95 pitches, 61 strikes.

WINDY CITY WARRIOR: Is slated to make his 20th career start against the White Sox today…Has pitched to a 9-5 record with a 3.07 ERA (42 ER/123.0 IP), 12 quality starts, and 112 strikeouts in his 19 career outings against Chicago-AL…Did not factor into the decision in his last start against the White Sox on April 15, 2023 at Guaranteed Rate Field…Surrendered four runs on seven hits (1 HR) with two walks and one strikeout in 5.1 innings…Threw 96 pitches, 58 strikes.