Chicago @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2013 ) Chi. White Sox 3, Baltimore 4
The Baltimore Orioles compiled a spectacular 29-9 record in one-run games in 2012, a huge reason why they made the postseason for the first time since 1997. The Orioles haven't come close to matching that success in one-run affairs this year, posting a 16-25 mark - but one of those wins was a 4-3 victory in extra innings on Saturday. It was the third straight triumph for Baltimore, which will go for a four-game sweep of the visiting Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
Matt Wieters had a walk-off two-run single in the 10th inning on Saturday to pull the Orioles within one game of Tampa Bay for the second wild card with 21 games left. "We have to keep winning," Wieters said. "There's no more, 'Get 'em later.' It's go now and make our run." The White Sox have dropped all nine games during a disastrous road trip against AL East competition, getting swept by Boston and the New York Yankees before losing the first three to the Orioles.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Andre Rienzo (1-1, 5.03 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Bud Norris (10-10, 4.01)
Rienzo is coming off back-to-back rocky outings in which he gave up 12 runs over nine innings. He had the shortest outing of his brief career last time out in Boston, lasting three innings and taking the loss after giving up five runs. He did not factor in the decision in his previous start against Houston, when he was lit up for seven runs (five earned) and surrendered three homers in six innings.
Norris is coming off his best performance with the Orioles since he was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline. He gave up only a solo homer among four hits and struck out eight over seven innings to beat Cleveland and reach double digits in victories for the first time in his career. Norris has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his seven starts with the Orioles but has pitched past seven innings only once.
WALK-OFFS
1. Norris lost to Chicago as a member of the Astros on June 17, giving up four runs in six innings.
2. 1B Paul Konerko has two hits in each of the last two games for the White Sox, who have four runs and 17 hits in the series.
3. Orioles DH Danny Valencia had multiple hits in eight of nine games and is batting .563 in that span.
PREDICTION: Orioles 5, White Sox 2