Baltimore @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 5, 2015 ) Baltimore 5, Cleveland 2
The Baltimore Orioles have a chance to notch just their second three-game winning streak of the season when they visit the Cleveland Indians on Saturday in the second of a three-game series. Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a year and contributed two hits and two RBIs in Friday's 5-2 victory.
Wieters doubled in a run and added a sacrifice fly in his first game since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Center fielder Adam Jones belted a tiebreaking homer for the second straight day and is 7-for-12 with a pair of triples, three RBIs and five runs scored in the past three games. Michael Brantley has a five-game hitting streak and four-game RBI string for the Indians, who lost for only the fifth time in 17 games. Cleveland's Danny Salazar goes for his sixth win Saturday against Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 3.12 ERA) vs. Indians RH Danny Salazar (5-1, 3.79)
Jimenez is coming off a strong outing in Houston, giving up two runs and four hits over six innings, but still remained winless over his last four starts. Jimenez has pitched at least seven innings in half of his 10 starts and permitted three runs or fewer on eight occasions. He is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in five road starts this season and has lost both career decisions versus Cleveland, giving up 11 runs over 8 1/3 innings.
Since winning his first three starts of the season, in which he registered 28 strikeouts and walked five, Salazar has been unable to put together back-to-back quality outings. He did not factor in the decision at Seattle on Sunday, giving up three runs on four hits while walking four to give him 10 base on balls in his last three turns. Salazar is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three home starts, holding opponents to a .191 batting average.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore is 21-0 when leading after seven innings.
2. Indians LF David Murphy had two hits Friday and is 25-for-62 over his last 24 games.
3. Orioles LHP Brian Matusz's eight-game suspension was upheld by Major League Baseball following his appeal on Wednesday.
PREDICTION: Indians 4, Orioles 3