Orioles Aim To Break Tie For First Of AL East With Win Over Oakland
By SportsDirect Inc.
The Baltimore Orioles have scored just three runs in the first two games of a series with Oakland and have dropped nine of their past 14 games. The Orioles, who are in a virtual tie for first place in the American League East with the Toronto Blue Jays, will try to get the bats moving when they visit the Athletics on Wednesday in the third contest of a four-game set.
Baltimore had just three hits in Tuesday's 2-1 loss with the run coming on a homer by center fielder Adam Jones, who has five hits in the series and is 11-for-22 during a five-game hitting streak. Orioles All-Star right fielder Mark Trumbo, who is tied for the major-league lead with 31 homers, is just 7-for-57 with one blast over his past 15 contests. The Athletics are long removed from the playoff race and had dropped eight of nine games before producing the back-to-back wins over Baltimore. Oakland has scored just eight runs in the first five contests of a 10-game homestand.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Yovani Gallardo (4-3, 5.47 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Ross Detwiler (0-0, 5.79)
Gallardo halted a six-start winless stretch by beating the Chicago White Sox in his last turn when he gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings. He has traditionally struggled against Oakland, going 0-4 with a 6.11 ERA in five career matchups and has experienced difficulties when facing Yonder Alonso (8-for-22, one homer, three doubles). Gallardo has been roughed up on the road as he is 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA in nine starts.
Detailer will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to make his Oakland debut. The 30-year-old was acquired from the Cleveland Indians in mid-July and had a 5.79 ERA in seven April relief appearances for the Indians. Detwiler is 21-37 with a 4.21 ERA in 180 major-league appearances (76 starts) and is 0-2 with a 5.09 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts) against Baltimore.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics OF Jake Smolinski reached base four times on two hits and two walks Tuesday for his first multi-hit outing since July 24.
2. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis is hitless in eight at-bats in the series and is just 7-for-66 with 28 strikeouts since the All-Star break.
3. Oakland RHP Sonny Gray underwent an MRI exam that displayed no structural damage in his injured forearm but there is no timetable for his return.
PREDICTION: Orioles 9, Athletics 7