By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It was a disastrous 1-6 homestand for the Phillies.  After winning the first game over Miami, two straight losses to the Marlins were followed up by four straight defeats at the hands of the Dodgers.  And it was every bit as ugly as you would imagine.

The Phillies now sit at 28-31 on the season and they continue to sit in last place in National League East – six games behind the first-place Washington Nationals.

Now the Fightins take to the road, hoping for better results as they open a weekend, interleague series with the Orioles in Baltimore tonight

If you don’t recognize this Orioles team it is probably because they are winning.  After more than a decade of losing squads, Baltimore is tied for first in the American League East with Tampa Bay, both teams enjoying a 32-25 record.

Tonight’s game will feature a couple of struggling pitchers as Joe Blanton goes for the Phillies against Baltimore’s Jake Arietta.

Blanton simply hasn’t been able to keep the ball in the ballpark.  In his last four starts (0-3), the right-hander has allowed ten home runs in 19 2/3 innings.  Overall, Blanton is 4-6 with a 5.27 ERA in 2012.

The Orioles opening day starter, Arietta is just 2-7 with a 5.53 ERA this season.

KYW’s Matt Leon spoke with Bob Waters, who writes about the Orioles for orioles-nation.com, about what Baltimore is all about here in 2012.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.