8/1: Open game thread

Today, Dustin Ackley* (and Endy Chavez, and every variant of less-than-excellent leadoff hitter) is supplanted by Austin Jackson at the top of the lineup. Today, Jackson and Denorfia take over the outfield for the first time. Today, the Mariners are considerably better than they were yesterday, and it feels like they're just a little bit more serious about winning this whole thing, too.

Roenis Elias is in line for his ninth win of the year, which would give him a winning record for the first time since June 22. Despite a few solid pitching performances, he did not last longer than five innings in any of his starts this past month. When he faced the Orioles last Sunday, Elias allowed four hits, three walks, and six strikeouts, but eventually lost on a one-out sac fly by Manny Machado in the ninth inning.

The last time Baltimore left-hander Wei-Yin Chen faced the Mariners, he pitched eight innings of shutout ball, issuing five hits, a walk, and three strikeouts in the Orioles' 4-0 win. Chen is 1-2 against Seattle in his major league career, though the M's haven't won a match-up against him since last August. If the Orioles drop today's game, it will be their first set of consecutive losses since June 29.

*This isn't to take anything away from Ackley's phenomenal numbers in July; he just did most of his hitting in the No. 7 spot.

Game info

• Mariners @ Orioles, 4:05 p.m. PST
• This afternoon's game will be televised on ROOT Sports, broadcast at 710 ESPN, and available to out-of-market fans at MLB TV here.
• To make room for Jackson and Denorfia, James Jones and Stefen Romero have been optioned back to Triple-A. Ryan Divish reported that the pair would be recalled by the beginning of September.
• Elias turns 26 today. Go wish him a happy birthday.