BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles certainly will be glad to come back home for this weekends three-game series versus the Los Angeles Angels, which starts Friday night after a tough nine-game West Coast trip.Baltimore plays much better at home than on the road. The Orioles boast a 31-13 record at Camden Yards and are just 18-22 in away games after going 4-5 on the road trip that ended with Wednesdays 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 14 inningsThe Orioles, one of the best power-hitting teams in the majors, featured plenty of offense on the. But, as has been the case for much of the season season, the starting pitching didnt come through.Theres no question that the Orioles are going to be looking for pitching help with the trade deadline looms in the next few weeks. Baltimore has yet to officially name a starter for Fridays game, although it could involve using Ubaldo Jimenez or calling up Mike Wright from Triple-A Norfolk.But the team knows that starting pitching is an issue -- a big one.We will probably need some pitching depth, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette said to MLB.com this week. Im not exactly sure where well get it, but thats what were looking to do to improve the team.Despite the pitching problems, the Orioles return to Baltimore with a 49-35 record and leading the American League East. The power hitting, defense and bullpen has been whats carried the team so far.Mark Trumbo hit two homers in the last game of the road trip, and the All-Star now leads the majors with 26 overall. The Orioles also are going to be making some roster moves after sending down outfielder Dariel Alvarez (to Triple-A Norfolk) and right-hander Jayson Aquino (to Double-A Bowie).They also reinstated infielder Pedro Alvarez from the bereavement list Thursday afternoon. Right-hander Mychal Givens also will be leaving the team at some point shortly as his wife is about to have a baby.The Orioles have won two straight but are facing an opponent thats taken three in a row. Its the first time the Angels (36-50) have won that many consecutive games since May.When you rebound and have three games like we have, youre going in the right direction, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said after Thursdays matinee victory over the Rays. We have our work cut out for us. We need to keep getting better, and were not going to get better until really that rotation gets solid and these guys get comfortable and throwing 1/8well 3/8.After Hector Santiago gave Scioscia seven shutout innings Thursday, Matt Shoemaker takes the hill versus Baltimore Friday. Shoemakers stats are a bit misleading.Hes 3-9 overall and has lost four straight decisions since his last victory on May 27. Shoemakers ERA is 4.40 in 16 starts but hes pitched very well during his recent losing streak. Los Angeles, however, has not done much to help him.The offense has scored just nine runs in those four losses, leaving Shoemaker little room for error. Shoemaker shut down Baltimore on May 21, striking out 12 and giving up just three hits in 7 1/3 scoreless innings but coming away with a no-decision.The Angels bats perked up on this trip. Theyve scored 57 runs on the first seven games with Baltimore being the final stop on the 10-game trip.MLB Jerseys From China . 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Stitched Nike MLB JerseysMINNEAPOLIS -- For the first time this season, the Minnesota Twins do not have the worst record in the American League.Fueled by a 21-13 stretch since July 1, including a 3-1 win in the opener of a four-game series against the Houston Astros on Monday, the Twins passed the Tampa Bay Rays and moved out of the A.L. cellar.Minnesota, which has won seven of its last nine overall, will try and keep that momentum going on Tuesday when it continues its series with the Astros.August 8th, we passed somebody. How long has it been? Twins manager Paul Molitor joked on Monday. Its been a long time.Despite a lost season, Molitor said players try and accentuate the positives like on Monday, when they moved up in the standings.I would think that these guys are aware of those things, Molitor said. Were enjoying what were doing right now, guys are having fun, a lot of joking going around which is good as long as the focus is where it needs to be.On the flip side, the Astros will try and get back on track before their fading postseason hopes are gone for good.Houston has lost six of its last seven games and nine of 11 overall, dropping to third place in the American League West.We didnt play well enough to win (on Monday) and its been troublesome for a couple of weeks now, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. You gotta play better to win.The Astros mustered just four hits in Mondays loss and Carlos Gomez made a pair of defensive miscues in the fifth inning that accounted for two of Minnesotas tthree runs.ddddddddddddGomez also went 0-for-3 at the plate, including a double play, dropping his average to .210 on the season.Ill take a look at it and see how it goes, Hinch said when asked if he can continue to play Gomez. struggling through a tough season. You keep trying to hang in there with guys, you want to encourage them more than anything. Clearly its been a rough patch for him for a while.Hinch will send right-hander Mike Fiers to the mound to try and get the club going. Fiers struggled to open the season but has been better of late, posting a 3.56 ERA in 11 starts since June 1. He has had a quality start each of his last three times out, including a six-inning, two-run outing against Toronto on Thursday.Fiers allowed four runs on nine hits and a walk in a no-decision against the Twins on May 4 at Minute Maid Park.Houston will see a familiar face on Tuesday when the Twins send Hector Santiago to the mound to make his home debut. Santiago, acquired from the Angels on Aug. 1 in exchange for Ricky Nolasco and a prospect, allowed four runs on five hits and a pair of walks in five innings in Cleveland in his first game with the Twins on Thursday.The left-hander allowed one run on three hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings against the Astros when he played for the Angels on June 21 and has a 3.69 ERA in 10 career starts against Houston. ' ' '