Baltimore @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2008 ) Baltimore 11, Chi. Cubs 4

The Baltimore Orioles look to extend their winning streak to five games when they visit the Chicago Cubs for the opener of their three-game interleague series Friday afternoon. Baltimore improved to 4-2 on its nine-game road trip on Wednesday, completing a three-game sweep with a 4-3 triumph over the Chicago White Sox. Adam Jones homered among his three hits while Steve Pearce and Nelson Cruz also went deep for the Orioles, who enter the series with a nine-game lead over Toronto and the New York Yankees in the American League East.

Cruz's homer Wednesday was his major league-leading 33rd of the season, matching his career high set in 2009 while with Texas. The Cubs are 1-2 on their six-game homestand as they earned a split - of sorts - against San Francisco on Thursday. After holding on for a 2-1 victory in the conclusion of a contest suspended two days earlier, they dropped a 5-3 decision in the regularly scheduled game as they allowed four unanswered runs after back-to-back homers by Justin Ruggiano and Welington Castillo in the first inning.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (7-4, 3.70 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (6-4, 2.61)

Gausman is coming off his third win in four starts, a 4-1 triumph at Cleveland in which he allowed one run on two hits and four walks in six innings. The 23-year-old has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his last five outings, going 3-1 in that span. Gausman, who is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA in six road starts this season, has never faced the Cubs.

Arrieta enters with a three-start winless streak despite allowing a total of two runs over 14 1/3 innings in his last two outings. The 28-year-old, who has posted just one victory in his last eight turns, settled for a no-decision against the Mets in New York on Sunday despite striking out nine and yielding only two hits over seven scoreless frames. Arrieta, who registered a career-high 10 wins for Baltimore in 2011, will be facing his former team for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pearce has 13 homers in 77 games this season after hitting 17 over his first 290 major-league contests.

2. Cubs SS Starlin Castro was placed on the bereavement list Thursday as he returned to his native Dominican Republic following the death of a relative and three friends in a car accident.

3. Baltimore, which tops the majors with 161 home runs, leads the league with a 31-13 record since June 30.

PREDICTION: Orioles 4, Cubs 2