Seattle @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2012 ) Baltimore 4, Seattle 2
The Baltimore Orioles are keeping close tabs on the American League wild-card race. The Orioles, who sit one game behind leaders Detroit and Oakland for one of those two playoff spots, will look to improve their standing when they open a three-game set versus the visiting Seattle Mariners. Baltimore finished a 4-2 road trip against AL East rivals New York and Tampa Bay with a thrilling 1-0 triumph in 10 innings over the Rays on Sunday.
The extra-inning victory was nothing new for the Orioles, who extended their franchise record by winning for the major league-leading 11th consecutive time. Seattle entered its weekend series on a season-high seven-game winning streak, but quickly cooled en route to losing two of three to New York. Former Yankees farmhand Jesus Montero had a pair of RBI singles in Sunday's 6-2 loss.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Jason Vargas (12-7, 3.71 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (4-1, 2.70)
Vargas won his fifth straight start after yielding two runs on five hits in seven solid innings en route to a 7-2 triumph over Toronto on Monday. The American League Pitcher of the Month for July, Vargas has not permitted a homer in his last three outings. He has split a pair of career decisions versus Baltimore, but has yet to face it this season.
Tillman won his third straight start, despite yielding five runs in the first inning to the New York Yankees on Monday. The 24-year-old settled down and silence New York over the next four innings en route to an 11-5 triumph. Tillman improved to 2-0 in his career versus Seattle after working 8 1/3 brilliant innings in a 4-2 victory on July 4.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle SS Brendan Ryan may return to the lineup after missing Sunday's contest with a left elbow injury. Mike Carp also missed the game to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter.
2. Baltimore 1B Mark Reynolds, who went hitless in the weekend series, has no homers has 27 strikeouts in his last 18 games. He is 0-for-5 in his career versus Vargas.
3. The Mariners have not fared well versus the AL East, posting an 11-19 mark.