Baltimore @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 22, 2008 ) Baltimore 3, Milwaukee 7

The Milwaukee Brewers look to stay hot with the bats against a team that has allowed plenty runs of late when they host the Baltimore Orioles on Monday in the opener of a three-game interleague series. Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy have led Milwaukee's offense, which has scored 27 times during a 3-2 stretch that followed a four-game losing streak. The Orioles have lost five of their last eight contests and surrendered 42 runs in the last seven but beat Cleveland 4-2 on Sunday.

Baltimore could be without slugger Chris Davis, who is on the paternity list, but Manny Machado enters with an eight-game hitting streak and Nelson Cruz has belted four homers in his last six contests. Lucroy is 14-for-28 over the previous seven games while Gomez has 11 hits in 18 at-bats over his last four. It’s the first meeting between the two teams since 2008 and only the second matchup in 11 seasons.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (4-2, 4.21 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (6-1, 2.67)

Tillman must rebound from his worst start of the season on Wednesday, when he allowed eight runs (six earned) in one-plus inning against Pittsburgh. The California native had allowed three or fewer runs in eight of nine turns going into that outing, but he is on pace to set a career high as he's issued 23 walks in 57 2/3 frames. Lyle Overbay is 7-for-17 with three homers against Tillman, who never has faced Milwaukee.

Lohse is proving to be a solid free-agent signing as he has yielded three runs or fewer in all 10 starts after producing 11 wins and a 3.35 ERA in 2013. The 14-year veteran has 135 career wins and has been better at home (71-48) than on the road (64-72). Nick Hundley is 3-for-7 with a pair of homers against Lohse, who is 3-1 with a 3.69 ERA in six career appearances (five starts) versus the Orioles.

WALK-OFFS

1. Lucroy is tied for second in the majors with 20 doubles this season, including eight in his last seven games.

2. Baltimore CF Adam Jones has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games, raising his average from .252 to .295.

3. Milwaukee RHP Francisco Rodriguez is tied with Jose Mesa for 15th place on the all-time list with 321 saves but hasn’t had an opportunity since May 16.

PREDICTION: Orioles 6, Brewers 3