Baltimore @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 20, 2012 ) Baltimore 10, Cleveland 2

The Baltimore Orioles were being left for dead just a few days ago. Three straight strong starting pitching performances have led to three consecutive wins, and suddenly the Orioles are back on the map. The Cleveland Indians are trending in the opposite direction as they struggle to keep up with the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. Baltimore will be aiming for its first four-game winning streak this month on Saturday.

The Orioles had lost 17 of 24 games dating back to June, capped by two straight losses at the lowly Minnesota Twins early in the week. But somehow Tommy Hunter, Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez have put together back-to-back-to-back quality starts, taking some pressure off an overworked bullpen. Cleveland has its own starting pitching problems, with Derek Lowe getting shelled on Friday to join Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez as top-of-the-rotation arms that continue to struggle.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (1-1, 1.00 ERA) vs. Indians RH Zach McAllister (4-1, 3.17)

Tillman dominated in his first start, allowing a pair of unearned runs in 8 1/3 innings to pick up a win, but lasted just two-thirds of an inning in a loss at Minnesota on Monday. The 24-year old was reached for seven runs but only one earned in the short stint, issuing a pair of walks. Tillman has made a pair of starts in his career against Cleveland, allowing seven runs and 12 hits in seven total innings.

McAllister has been the Indians’ most consistent starter of late, allowing three earned runs or less in each of his last six turns. The right-hander surrendered just one run on three hits in six innings to pick up a win at Tampa Bay on Monday. McAllister went 5 2/3 frames at Baltimore on June 28, yielding two runs and seven hits while striking out six to earn the win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Orioles RHP Matt Lindstrom was hit by a line drive in the eighth inning on Friday and removed from the game.

2. Baltimore is expected to have INF Omar Quintanilla, who was acquired from the Mets, available on Saturday.

3. The Indians have scored a total of four runs in their last four losses.