Chicago @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 1, Baltimore 2
Buck Showalter has yet to experience something as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles that is quite common to team's skippers ... losing.
The Orioles look to remain unbeaten under their new manager when they host the Chicago White Sox in the second contest of a three-game series on Saturday at Camden Yards.
Dave Trembley lost 93 and 98 games in his first two full campaigns as manager in Baltimore and was fired earlier this season after a 15-39 start. Juan Samuel took over on an interim basis and was 21-30 before the Orioles' brass decided on Showalter.
So far the move looks like the right one.
Baltimore has won four straight, matching its best streak of the season, and its last two victories have been of the walk-off variety. Not bad for a team that had only 32 wins when Showalter arrived.
The Orioles posted their latest triumph on Friday when they knocked off the White Sox, 2-1, in 10 innings. Adam Jones singled in Nick Markakis for the winning run with two outs in the frame. Markakis had a season-high four hits.
If Baltimore is going to make it five straight wins, it will need starter Kevin Millwood to snap a three-start losing skid.
Millwood (2-11, 6.05 ERA) has allowed at least five runs in each of his last five starts. In his last 10 outings, he has given up less than five just twice - when he won consecutive starts against the San Diego Padres and Florida Marlins on June 19 and 24.
Chicago remained 1 1/2 games in front of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central standings as both teams lost on Friday. The White Sox came to Baltimore having won three of four against the Detroit Tigers and were likely looking ahead at this series as a chance to pad their win total.
They might yet, but Chicago will need another solid start out of Gavin Floyd to end Baltimore's win streak.
Floyd (7-8, 3.54 ERA) has been terrific lately - and that may be an understatement as he has allowed one run or less in eight of his last 10 starts. Amazingly, he is only 4-1 in those starts and has three no decisions.
Floyd has won two straight starts and has allowed one earned run in his last three outings, a span of 21 innings.
In three career starts against the Orioles, Floyd is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA.