St. Louis @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2014 ) St. Louis 3, Baltimore 10
The Baltimore Orioles followed their season-high six-homer performance in the interleague series opener by going deep three more times to roll to their 14th win in 19 outings. The Orioles look to flex their muscles some more on Sunday afternoon as they vie for a three-game sweep of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. After missing the series opener due to a family emergency, Caleb Joseph didn't miss a beat on Saturday as he went deep for the fifth consecutive contest to pace Baltimore to a 10-3 triumph.
The Orioles, who have collected 22 runs and 31 hits in the series, pushed their lead atop the American League East to six games over both the New York Yankees and Toronto. St. Louis, on the other hand, has lost three of four to fall to 7-12 in interleague play. The Cardinals' recent swoon dropped them three games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central and they remain in a virtual tie with San Francisco for the second wild-card spot.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (11-8, 2.89 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (6-3, 3.77)
Lynn has deserved a better fate in his last three starts, posting an 0-2 mark despite yielding just two runs in each and 14 hits collectively. The 27-year-old settled for a no-decision in his last turn despite scattering four hits over seven innings in St. Louis' eventual 3-2 win over Boston on Tuesday. Lynn was brilliant in one brief relief appearance versus Baltimore, striking out five in two innings to take a no-decision.
Gausman recorded his second straight victory after allowing three runs in six innings in an eventual 7-3 win over Washington on Monday. The 23-year-old has done well to keep the ball in the park, serving up just three homers in 62 innings. Gausman, who has yet to face St. Louis in his brief career, is 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA in six home starts this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Should Joseph go deep on Sunday, he'll tie Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and Chris Davis for the franchise record with homers in six consecutive games.
2. St. Louis SS Jhonny Peralta is 4-for-10 with three doubles and three RBIs in his last three contests.
3. Baltimore SS J.J. Hardy is 4-for-7 with two homers, five RBIs and five runs scored in the series.
PREDICTION: Orioles 5, Cardinals 4