Seattle @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( May 17, 2016 ) Seattle 10, Baltimore 0

The Seattle Mariners endured a tough weekend at home against the Los Angeles Angels but were all smiles by the time they finished up the opener of a road trip at Baltimore on Tuesday. The Mariners will try to keep the momentum going forward when they visit the Orioles for the second of a three-game set on Wednesday.

Seattle squandered ninth-inning leads in losses on Friday and Saturday and wasted a solid performance by Felix Hernandez in a 3-0 loss on Sunday but had no such problems against Baltimore. Nelson Cruz homered and drove in five runs and Kyle Seager added a three-run blast while the bullpen backed starter Wade Miley up with three hitless innings in the 10-0 thrashing. The Orioles have dropped two in a row after rolling to seven straight wins and are usually the ones on the other end of home run-aided blowouts. Baltimore managed two hits in Tuesday’s setback and star Manny Machado went 0-for-3 to extend his slump to 1-for-17 over the last four games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), MASN2 (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (2-2, 2.63 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (5-1, 2.58)

Walker left a start at Houston on May 6 after only two innings due to neck spasms but made his next start against Tampa Bay last Wednesday. The 23-year-old notched nine strikeouts but was charged with a season-high four runs on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings without factoring in the decision. Walker is making his third career start against the Orioles and allowed a total of six runs and 12 hits in 9 2/3 innings over the first two.

Tillman is on a roll with four straight wins and five consecutive quality starts. The California native, who was originally drafted by Seattle in 2006, struck out seven and scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings against Detroit on Friday and allowed a total of six runs in his last five turns. Tillman has never lost to his original franchise, posting a 6-0 record with a 2.98 ERA in eight career starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mariners activated RHP Joaquin Benoit (shoulder) from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday and optioned RHP Mayckol Guaipe to Triple-A Tacoma.

2. Baltimore CF Adam Jones had an eight-game hitting streak come to an end with Monday’s 0-for-3 effort.

3. Seager is 7-for-15 with three doubles and a home run in the last four games.

PREDICTION: Orioles 4, Mariners 3