Los Angeles @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2016 ) LA Angels 2, Baltimore 3
The Baltimore Orioles will try to end a surprisingly successful first half with a series win when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series. The Orioles, who had recently dropped six of eight, rallied to end the slide with a 3-2 win Saturday to open up a two-game lead in the American League East and ensure themselves of a first-place spot at the All-Star break.
That's no small feat for a team many picked to be at or near the bottom of the division, but standouts like Mark Trumbo - who slugged his major league-leading 28th homer in the win - has pushed Baltimore to a 50-win first half, with one more game to go. Chris Tillman will put an 11-2 record on the line in the first-half finale for the Orioles opposite Tim Lincecum, whose return to the majors has not gone well. The former San Francisco Giant is 0-2 with a 10.50 ERA over his last three starts after debuting with the Angels with a win and six solid innings on June 18. Los Angeles had a four-game winning streak snapped with Saturday's loss and is 5-4 on its current 10-game road trip.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), MASN2 (Baltimore), WJZ (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Tim Lincecum (1-2, 7.50 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (11-2, 3.55)
Lincecum has given up 29 hits and nine walks in his first 18 innings with Los Angeles and failed to complete five innings in his last three starts. The two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Trumbo has a home run and a double in eight at-bats versus Lincecum, who struck out 10 in six innings to win his only prior start against Baltimore in 2010.
Tillman rebounded from a trio of poor performances to stymie the Los Angeles Dodgers through seven innings on Tuesday. He gave up a run and five hits to pick up his first win since June 14, despite striking out only two. The 28-year-old is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four career starts against the Angels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop had the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning on Saturday and is 12-for-33 during an eight-game hitting streak.
2. Angels SS Andrelton Simmons has hit safely in 11 consecutive games.
3. Baltimore LHP Zach Britton has converted 26 straight saves to begin the season.
PREDICTION: Orioles 7, Angels 3