Los Angeles @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2013 ) LA Angels 2, Baltimore 3
The Baltimore Orioles attempt to finish off a sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels when the teams wrap up a three-game series at Camden Yards on Wednesday. The underachieving Angels have lost four straight games and nine of 11 and have dropped 11 games under .500 for the American League’s second-worst record ahead of the Houston Astros. Baltimore is a season-best nine games above .500 and is in third place in the AL East, 2 1/2 games behind Boston.
The Orioles have won three straight games overall and eight of their last nine home games after Nick Markakis delivered the tiebreaking two-run single in Tuesday’s 3-2 victory. Baltimore is 5-1 against the Angels, including winning three of four in Anaheim in early May. Los Angeles outfielder Mike Trout has homered in each of the first two games of the series to increase his career total to eight homers in 20 games against the Orioles.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jerome Williams (4-2, 2.87 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jason Hammel (7-4, 5.18)
Williams will be making his first start since June 1 after pitching in relief in each of his last two appearances. He has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last five outings, going 3-1 during the stretch. Williams lost to the Orioles on May 5 when he gave up five runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings to drop to 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA in four career outings.
Hammel has lost back-to-back decisions and has given up four homers in 9 2/3 innings during the stretch. He is 1-3 at home with an unsightly 7.33 ERA. Hammel allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings while beating Williams on May 5 to improve to 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Angels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Trout is 9-for-22 over the first five games of Los Angeles’ six-game road excursion.
2. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis had an infield hit Tuesday – his lone hit in 17 at-bats over the past five games.
3. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick is 6-for-10 with four RBIs against Hammel.
PREDICTION: Orioles 3, Angels 2