Chicago @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Apr 29, 2015 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Baltimore 8
The last time the Chicago White Sox played in Baltimore, no one came to see the game. The Orioles hope to fit in a few more fans when they host the White Sox in a straight doubleheader on Thursday to make up for games missed during the riots in Baltimore last month.
The Orioles earned an 8-2 win in front of a stadium full of empty seats on Apr. 29 after two days of waiting around with the White Sox in town, and then played a “home” series in Tampa Bay as the violence died down in Baltimore. The only issue for the Orioles at home now is whether they can put together a winning homestand after taking two of three from the Houston Astros to begin an eight-game stay this week. The White Sox suffered a crushing 10-9 loss at Toronto on Tuesday but found their offense in that game and carried it over to a 5-3 victory on Wednesday. That marked just the second win in the last nine games for Chicago.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LHP Chris Sale (3-2, 4.21 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Tyler Wilson (1-0, 4.50)
Sale has gone eight innings in each of his last three starts and notched 28 strikeouts and four walks in that span. The Florida native only got enough run support to win one of those outings and took a loss against Minnesota on Saturday while allowing three earned runs and five hits. Sale has never won against Baltimore, posting a 0-2 mark with a 5.06 ERA in nine career games – three starts.
Wilson is making his first major-league start after working out of the bullpen twice last week. The Virginia native allowed one run and five hits in two total innings against the Seattle Mariners and Miami Marlins. Wilson went 2-4 with a 3.29 ERA in eight starts for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Orioles signed Cuban LHP Ariel Miranda to a minor-league contract.
2. Chicago OF Avisail Garcia (sore right knee) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.
3. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis snapped a 13-game homerless drought with a pair of blasts on Wednesday.
PREDICTION: White Sox 5, Orioles 1