Los Angeles @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2014 ) LA Angels 6, Baltimore 7

The Baltimore Orioles look to clinch their second series win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels in two weeks when the clubs meet for the middle contest of their three-game set Wednesday. Baltimore squandered a pair of leads in the opener before Manny Machado led off the 12th inning with a home run for a 7-6 triumph. It was the sixth victory in eight games for the Orioles, who improved to 12-3 in extra-inning contests and maintained their 2 1/2-game lead over Toronto in the American League East.

Los Angeles, which lost two of three to Baltimore at home last week, fell 2 1/2 games behind first-place Oakland in the AL West. On the bright side, Tuesday's loss featured a breakout performance by Josh Hamilton, who homered among his three hits and drove in three runs. The high-paid star had not gone deep since July 2 and hadn't recorded multiple RBIs in a contest since plating two runs at Texas eight days later.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN West (Los Angeles), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (11-3, 2.62 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (4-3, 3.67)

Richards had his seven-game winning streak snapped Thursday as he surrendered four runs and seven hits over six innings in a loss to Detroit. It marked the first time the 26-year-old gave up more than three runs since May 30, when he was reached for five in just two-thirds of a frame at Oakland. Richards, who has gone 6-1 with a 1.83 ERA on the road this season, has yielded nine runs and 17 hits over nine innings in five career games - one start - against Baltimore.

Gausman was forced to settle for a no-decision at Seattle on Friday after allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings. It was an impressive bounce-back effort from the 23-year-old, who surrendered five runs and nine hits over four frames in a loss at Oakland in his previous start. Gausman, who never has faced the Angels, has yielded fewer than two runs in six of his nine outings this season and five in each of the other three starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Orioles 1B Chris Davis missed the series opener due to flu-like symptoms.

2. Los Angeles 1B Albert Pujols was 3-for-6 on Tuesday after going 2-for-11 in last week's series against Baltimore but saw his home-run drought reach 15 games.

3. Baltimore RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (ankle) allowed an unearned run in 4 2/3 innings of a rehab start with Single-A Aberdeen on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Angels 3, Orioles 1