GAME:
Baltimore Orioles (54-44) at Los Angeles Angels (59-39)
DATE/TIME:
Tuesday, July 22 - 10:05 PM EST
WHERE:
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
LINE:
N/A
TOTAL:
N/A
Adam Jones wasn’t contributing much to the Baltimore Orioles’ home run barrage lately, but has more than made up for lost time in his last three games. After posting his fifth career two-homer game in the opener, Jones looks to continue his recent power stroke on the road Tuesday as the Orioles face the Los Angeles Angels. Baltimore has hit a major league-leading 121 home runs in 2014, including 67 since the beginning of June.
Jones went homerless and drove in only one run during an 11-game drought from July 3-18, but has responded in a big way with three home runs and nine RBIs over his last three contests. The four-time All-Star’s explosion in Monday’s 4-2 win sent the Angels to only their fourth loss in 18 July games and put them in danger of dropping their first home series in 11 tries. Another meager offensive effort by Los Angeles is unlikely, however, as it has scored a league-high 491 runs and is tied with the Oakland Athletics for the best home winning percentage (.667) in the majors.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Baltimore), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (4-5, 4.04 ERA) vs. Angels LH Hector Santiago (2-7, 4.32)
Gonzalez finished the first half with a pair of stellar outings, holding the Boston Red Sox to two runs over eight frames on July 5 before doing it again six days later against the New York Yankees. The 30-year-old was able to stay in rhythm over the All-Star break, picking up a win in a minor-league outing in a move designed to avoid a long layoff between starts. Gonzalez limited the Angels to one run over eight innings in his last turn against them in 2013, improving to 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA in three all-time starts.
After ending a seven-game losing streak in his last start on July 10 before getting bumped from the rotation, Santiago got the win after tossing 2 2/3 scoreless relief frames in Friday’s 16-inning triumph over the Seattle Mariners. The former 30th-round draft choice of the Chicago White Sox will likely remain in the rotation as C.J. Wilson (ankle) is expected to be sidelined until early August. Santiago has a 3.86 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) versus the Orioles, but has yet to factor into a decision against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles DH Nelson Cruz is one RBI from recording his sixth straight season with at least 20 home runs and 75 RBIs.
2. Angels SS Erick Aybar (sore right groin) appeared as a pinch hitter in the opener, but is expected to rejoin the lineup for the first time in four games on Tuesday.
3. Baltimore is 9-3 in extra-inning affairs this season and 33-12 in such games since the start of 2012.
PREDICTION: Orioles 5, Angels 4