Baltimore @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2014 ) Baltimore 4, Seattle 0

Felix Hernandez looks to continue his streak of pitching at least seven innings and allowing two or fewer earned runs when the Seattle Mariners host the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The Seattle ace has ripped off 12 consecutive such outings and can tie the major-league mark held by Tom Seaver (1971) with another similar performance. Baltimore won the opener of the four-game set 4-0 as Delmon Young hit a three-run homer and Wei-Yin Chen pitched eight shutout innings.

The Orioles are 4-3 during a 10-game road trip and continue to lead the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays by three games in the American League East. Seattle is trying to pump life into its offense with Thursday’s acquisition of veteran Kendrys Morales from the Minnesota Twins for reliever Stephen Pryor. Morales had 23 homers and 80 RBIs for the Mariners last season before departing as a free agent and was batting .234 with one homer and 18 RBIs in 39 games since joining the Twins in early June.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (4-3, 4.04 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (11-2, 2.02)

Gausman gave up five runs for the second time in four outings when he was touched for nine hits in four-plus innings in Sunday’s loss to Oakland. He allowed just one run and four hits in each of his two other starts during the stretch. Gausman has never faced Seattle and is 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA in three road starts this season.

Hernandez leads the American League in ERA and allowed one unearned run and two hits in seven innings in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels in his last turn. He has allowed four or fewer hits in six of his last eight outings. Hernandez is 5-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 15 career starts against Baltimore.

WALK-OFFS

1. Orioles 3B Manny Machado (back) has missed three straight games but hopes to return to the lineup Friday.

2. Seattle promoted prized SS Chris Taylor from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday and he went 1-for-3 in his major-league debut.

3. Baltimore OF Nick Markakis is 13-for-28 with five walks against Hernandez, while OF Nelson Cruz has four homers despite striking out in 17 of his 59 career at-bats.

PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Orioles 2