Hot-hitting Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy batting third against Yankees

Fantasy Facts - J.J. Hardy could have a better average

Of all hitters to appear in at least 40 games, J.J. Hardy leads the league in percentage of swings resulting in a ball put in play (58.6). His .235 batting average on the season actually could be higher; among hitters to appear in 40 games, he is tied for the fourth-worst batting average on balls in play at .220, well below his career average of .273.

Fantasy: Orioles To Buy Or Sell

ESPN's Eric Karabell reveals which members of the Baltimore Orioles owners should look to buy and sell.

Crasnick: Machado a true disciple of the Oriole Way

Manny Machado combines exceptional talent with great intellect when he's on the field for the Orioles.

Orioles Beat Dodgers Twice, And Beat Beckett For 5th Straight Time

From Elias: J. J. Hardy and Nolan Reimold homered off starter Hyun-Jin Ryu in the afternoon game and Chris Davis and Manny Machado homered off Josh Beckett at night as the Orioles took measure of the Dodgers in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1. The Orioles really have Beckett's number, having beaten him in each of his last five starts against them, including two in late September of 2011, as the Red Sox were in the process of blowing their large division lead, and two last year before Beckett was sent to Los Angeles. The last time that the Orioles won five straight starts against a pitcher who had 100-plus career wins to his credit was when they won five in a row against Don Sutton from 1983 to 1985. (Of course, the Orioles would have traded all five of those wins just to have beaten him in the 1982 regular-season finale, when Sutton bested Jim Palmer in a de-facto playoff game for the American League East title.)