Baltimore @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( May 2, 2014 ) Baltimore 3, Minnesota 0

The Baltimore Orioles are winners of three straight games while the Minnesota Twins have fallen off with four consecutive losses. The Orioles will try to continue their upswing at the expense of the Twins when they visit Minnesota again on Saturday. Baltimore got a strong start from Ubaldo Jimenez in a 3-0 win in Friday’s series opener while Nelson Cruz homered to spoil a strong start from Twins right-hander Ricky Nolasco.

Cruz’s two-run blast off the facing of the upper deck in left was his eighth of the season and the free-agent slugger leads the team with 27 RBIs - 15 in the last 10 games. The Orioles got Manny Machado back from the disabled list on Thursday and he recorded his first hit of the season with a double on Friday and almost had another before Twins center fielder Sam Fuld slammed into the wall to make the catch. The Twins were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a rain-interrupted three-game series during the week and are 1-5 on their current homestand.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (3-1, 4.34 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kevin Correia (0-3, 7.33)

Chen had a three-start winning streak snapped last time out despite yielding just two earned runs over a season-high seven innings against Kansas City. The Taiwan native has allowed 39 hits in 29 innings but limited some of the damage by racking up 23 strikeouts. Chen is 2-0 with in two career starts against Minnesota with a total of three runs allowed in 12 innings.

Correia is looking to bounce back from his worst start of the season after getting pounded for eight runs - seven earned - on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings against Detroit on April 25. The 33-year-old did not notch a strikeout against the Tigers and has fanned only 12 in 27 total innings. Correia is 1-1 in two career starts against the Orioles with a total of seven earned runs allowed on 19 hits in 12 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins RHP Mike Pelfrey (groin) was placed on the 15-day DL and SS Danny Santana will be recalled on Saturday to take his place on the roster.

2. Baltimore C Matt Wieters is 13-for-31 with eight RBIs in his last seven games.

3. Minnesota LF Josh Willingham (wrist) is scheduled to take swings in the batting cage for the first time since feeling soreness on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Orioles 6, Twins 3