Pittsburgh @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 30, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 0, Baltimore 0

The Pittsburgh Pirates ended a 20-year postseason drought last year and their record in interleague play (15-5) was among the reasons why. Following consecutive rainouts on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Pirates get a chance to snap out of a funk and reprise last season's interleague success when they visit the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday for a doubleheader. Losers of 13 of its last 17, Pittsburgh faces its first non-division opponent after 26 straight games versus National League Central foes.

The Pirates dominated American League opponents to the tune of a 2.23 ERA and a .199 batting average against in 2013 and face a struggling Baltimore offense that is averaging a league-worst 2.6 runs in Oriole Park at Camden Yards - 2.1 fewer than they did when they finished fourth in the majors in home scoring a season ago. The Orioles hope the return of All-Star third baseman Manny Machado from offseason knee surgery will provide a boost at the plate. Machado was 8-for-12 in a three-game minor-league rehab assignment over the weekend.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Charlie Morton (0-3, 4.35 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Bud Norris (1-2, 4.44 ERA)

Morton dropped his third straight start in last Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The New Jersey native, who was charged with four runs (three earned) and four hits over six frames, is tied for the major-league lead in hit batsmen (five) after posting an NL-high 16 a season ago. Morton was pounded for seven runs in two innings in his only other outing versus the Orioles in 2011 and is searching for his second career interleague victory after winning his major-league debut as a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2008 against the Los Angeles Angels.

Norris allowed a pair of early homers in his the second inning of his last outing before settling down to earn his first win with six solid innings at Toronto in which he gave up three runs on five hits despite a sore hamstring. Norris turned in his best outing of the young season in his lone home start, blanking the Blue Jays over seven innings April 12. Norris has seen plenty of the Pirates from his days as a member of the Houston Astros, compiling a 4-5 record and respectable 3.48 in 10 career starts against Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh has won nine consecutive interleague road contests.

2. Machado batted .283 with 11 homers, 71 RBIs and an American League-high 51 doubles last year.

3. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen batted .375 while 3B Pedro Alvarez hit .344 with six homers and 13 RBIs against the AL last year.

PREDICTION: Orioles 4, Pirates 2