Baltimore @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2015 ) Baltimore 6, Philadelphia 4
The visiting Baltimore Orioles look to continue their power display on Thursday afternoon, when they attempt to complete a four-game home-and-home series sweep of the spiraling Philadelphia Phillies. Winners of 12 of their last 14 contests overall and 10 of 13 versus the Phillies, the Orioles have belted 11 home runs over the first three games of the set and outscored their overmatched foe by a 29-7 margin.
Chris Parmelee has packed a punch since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, going deep twice among his four hits in a 19-3 rout on Tuesday before his three-run blast lifted Baltimore to a 6-4 triumph the following day. Parmelee's performance comes on the heels of hitting just six homers in 61 games for the Tides. While the Orioles reside three games above .500 for the first time this season, majors-worst Philadelphia has lost 19 of its last 22 overall and nine straight for its longest skid since dropping 11 in a row in September 1999. Ben Revere recorded a pair of hits on Wednesday to improve to 12-for-34 in his last eight games.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLBN, MASN (Baltimore), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Bud Norris (2-4, 8.29 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Sean O'Sullivan (1-5, 5.08)
Norris stumbled out of the blocks before escaping with a no-decision after pitching 5 2/3 innings against the New York Yankees on Saturday. The 30-year-old allowed four runs and eight hits in his second start since returning from the disabled list (bronchitis). Norris owns a 1-3 career record versus Philadelphia, against which he suffered a hard-luck setback in his last meeting after permitting just one run and four hits in seven frames.
O'Sullivan fell to 0-3 in his last five starts on Saturday after allowing four runs and eight hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old has been able to keep the ball in the park after getting blitzed for four homers in 5 2/3 frames of a 7-0 setback to the New York Mets on May 27. O'Sullivan has been fortunate to walk away without a decision in four career meetings with Baltimore despite owning an 8.64 ERA and 1.74 WHIP while allowing the Orioles to bat .338 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore CF Adam Jones (shoulder) will miss his third straight contest on Thursday, manager Buck Showalter announced.
2. Philadelphia SS Freddy Galvis belted a three-run homer on Wednesday and is 4-for-7 in his last two games.
3. Phillies OF Domonic Brown is 2-for-12 with one RBI in three games since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
PREDICTION: Orioles 7, Phillies 2