Los Angeles @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2013 ) LA Dodgers 5, Baltimore 7
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the bigger disappointments of the early part of the season, and they take a four-game losing streak into a six-game road trip to the East Coast. The Dodgers begin the trek with three games in Baltimore, where the Orioles are riding the high of a dramatic 10-inning victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday. The teams are playing a split-doubleheader on Saturday after Friday's series opener was postponed because of rain.
Matt Wieters hit a game-ending grand slam - the first for the Orioles since Harold Baines in 1999 - to lift Baltimore to a series victory over the Rays. The Dodgers were swept by the Padres in a three-game set at home, and scored only seven runs in the series. Los Angeles has been shut out three times and held to three runs or fewer in 11 of 15 games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Josh Beckett (0-2, 3.26 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (0-2, 4.00)
Beckett suffered the fourth complete-game loss of his career Sunday against Arizona, allowing one run while striking out nine in a 1-0 loss. He is 7-7 with a 4.36 ERA in 20 career starts against the Orioles, including a 5-4 mark with a 4.00 ERA in 13 starts at Camden Yards. Nick Markakis is 14-for-53 (.264) with 14 strikeouts against Beckett, who has lost four consecutive starts against Baltimore dating to Sept. 21, 2011.
Chen is seeking his first regular-season victory since August 19, 2012 at Detroit, a stretch of 10 starts. The 27-year-old has allowed no more than three runs in all three of his starts this season, including Sunday when he gave up three runs over six innings against the Yankees. Chen, who is making his first career appearance against the Dodgers, went 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA in interleague play last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Orioles have won 98 consecutive games when leading after seven innings, the second-longest streak in MLB history. The Yankees won 116 straight from 1998-99.
2. The Dodgers are 1-for-19 with the bases loading and are hitting .171 with runners in scoring position.
3. Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez (2-for-9) and OF Carl Crawford (2-for-3) faced Chen while playing for the Red Sox last season.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Orioles 2