Baltimore @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 2, 2011 ) Baltimore 4, Atlanta 5

THE STORY: The Atlanta Braves, who have won five straight, go for a three-game sweep Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles in the final interleague game of the season. The Braves have won 10 of 12 games and are 14 games above .500 for the first time this season. The Orioles have dropped five straight and are 10 games below .500 for the first time. Atlanta brings a 10-4 interleague record into the game, best in the National League. The Orioles are 6-11 in interleague games, and have lost 14 of their last 18 road games.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Zach Britton (6-6, 3.38 ERA) vs. Braves RH Brandon Beachy (3-1, 3.04). Britton has lost his last two decisions, allowing nine runs in 11 2/3 innings. The rookie has struggled on the road with a 4.41 ERA, more than 1.5 runs high per game (4.41) than at home, and a .290 batting average against. Britton has also had trouble in day games (4.18 ERA, .281). Britton will be making his first appearance against Atlanta. He is 0-2 with a 4.33 ERA in three interleague starts. Beachy has been pitching lights out since returning from the disabled list. In those two games, he is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 12 innings. Righthanders are batting only .195 against Beachy, although his ERA at home (4.18) is considerably higher than it is on the road (1.50). If Beachy throws a strike on the first pitch, batters are hitting only .167 and have struck out 52 times. This will be his first appearance against Baltimore.

ABOUT THE ORIOLES (35-45): J.J. Hardy has struggled for three games, going 1-for-14 with six strikeouts. Nick Markakis has hit safely in 20 of 21 games and has multiple hits in seven of his last nine games. The Orioles lead the American League in pinch-hitting average, going 13-for-42 (.406). Vladimir Guerrero failed as a pinch-hitter in the first two games of the series and isn’t likely to start the finale, even though he entered the weekend with a five-game hitting streak. No. 3 hitter Adam Jones hasn’t driven in a run in four games and hasn’t driven in multiple runs since June 21. Robert Andino is 5-for-11 over his last four games.

ABOUT THE BRAVES (49-35): After a 0-for-13 stretch, Chipper Jones is 3-for-7 with a double in his last two games. Freddie Freeman had his four-game streak without a strikeout end when he fanned three times Saturday. Center fielder Jordan Schafer has hit safely in five of his last seven games. He was hitless Saturday, but made two outstanding defensive plays. Craig Kimbrel has converted his last six save opportunities and has 24 saves. During that six-inning stretch, he has struck out 12 and allowed only two hits. Kimbrel has made 10 straight appearances without allowing a run.

FINAL PITCH: Atlanta optioned long reliever Cristhian Martinez (0-2, 3.53) to Triple A Gwinnett and recalled reliever Cory Gearrin for the third time. Martinez, who worked mostly in mop-up roles, had not pitched since June 24. Gearrin is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings over 13 appearances with the Braves.