Los Angeles @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2013 ) LA Dodgers 1, Baltimore 6
The Los Angeles Dodgers look to snap a six-game losing streak Sunday in the series finale against the host Baltimore Orioles, who won both ends of a day-night doubleheader Saturday. The Dodgers have been outscored 36-13 during their current skid, and are generating virtually no offense at the bottom of their order. “We just need to put a win on the board and get out of this,” manager Don Mattingly told reporters.
While Los Angeles has struggled mightily in interleague play, Baltimore has won 11 of its last 16 interleague games. The Orioles have won seven of their last 10 games overall with first baseman Chris Davis leading the way. Davis is 7-for-15 in his last four games, and leads the American League with seven homers and 21 RBIs. The Orioles’ 3-4-5 hitters are batting .342 with 15 doubles, 13 homers and 45 RBIs over the first 16 games.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, TBS, Fox Sports Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Chad Billingsley (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jake Arrieta (1-0, 5.40)
Billingsley has faced the Padres in each of first two starts, including Monday when he allowed three runs over six innings. He’s walked five while striking out six over his first two starts covering 12 innings. The 28-year-old Billingsley is unbeaten in his last nine starts, going 7-0 during that stretch. Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy is 2-for-10 (.200) against Billingsley, who is 7-7 with a 4.24 ERA in 18 career interleague starts.
Arrieta picked up his first win of the season Tuesday against the Rays, allowing one run with seven strikeouts and five walks on 112 pitches over five innings. Arrieta, who owns a 14-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio, has worked five innings in each of his first three starts. He is 3-5 with a 6.25 ERA in 11 career interleague games. Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez faced Arrieta as a member of the Red Sox, going 5-for-11 with a home run.
WALK-OFFS
1. Gonzalez has played 42 games against Baltimore, batting .376 with 17 doubles and two homers.
2. The Orioles have won a franchise-record 99 consecutive regular season games when leading after seven innings.
3. The Dodgers are hopeful that shortstop Hanley Ramirez (thumb) will be able to return by the end of the month.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 8, Orioles 5