Baltimore @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2014 ) Baltimore 2, Boston 3

With Hurricane Arthur set to be long gone, the Baltimore Orioles and host Boston Red Sox will finally get their three-game series underway Saturday with a day-night doubleheader. Inclement weather associated with the storm forced a postponement of Friday's scheduled series opener, with both teams pushing their starters into Saturday's matinee. The postponement gave Boston another day to lick its wounds after a humiliating three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs to begin the week.

The capper to the sweep was a Wednesday's 16-9 loss, which came after defeats of 2-0 and 2-1 and helped wipe away the positive vibes attained by a pair of solid wins at the New York Yankees over the weekend. It was the ninth loss in 13 games overall for the sinking Red Sox, who are on the verge of falling 10 games below .500 for the first time since the end of their ill-fated 2012 campaign. Baltimore is headed in the other direction, winning four straight, and will get streaking third baseman Manny Machado back from a five-game suspension in time for the nightcap.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (3-8, 4.31 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH John Lackey (9-5, 3.62)

Jimenez's up-and-down campaign continued Monday against Texas, limited the Rangers to an unearned run in a season-high eight innings. Most importantly, he walked just one batter and has issued only three free passes in his last two outings after allowing 20 walks against 12 strikeouts in his previous four appearances. Jimenez has given up one earned run in each of his last three road starts but has been reached for 10 runs in 9 2/3 frames over two career outings in Boston.

Lackey is in pursuit of his 11th straight season (barring 2012, which he sat out due to Tommy John surgery) with at least 10 victories. He picked up his ninth of this campaign at New York on Sunday despite giving up five runs in five innings. Lackey, who gave up six runs on a season high-tying 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings against Baltimore on April 18, has allowed 11 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings since a masterful shutout of Minnesota on June 18.

WALK-OFFS

1. Machado hit .333 with three home runs in the eight games before he began serving the suspension.

2. Red Sox DH David Ortiz needs one extra-base hit to become the 36th player in baseball history to reach 1,000.

3. Orioles OF/1B Steve Pearce is 9-for-20 with three home runs, three doubles and nine RBIs over his last five games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Orioles 4