Baltimore @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2013 ) Baltimore 5, San Francisco 2
The Baltimore Orioles try to remain perfect on their eight-game road trip when they take on the host San Francisco Giants in the middle contest of their three-game interleague series Saturday afternoon. After sweeping a two-game set at San Diego, Baltimore needed 10 innings to post a 5-2 triumph over San Francisco on Friday. Slugger Chris Davis delivered a two-run double and scored an insurance run in the 10th as the Orioles overcame a blown save by Jim Johnson in the ninth.
Baltimore inched closer to a playoff spot with the victory, climbing within 1 1/2 games of the second wild-card spot in the American League and 4 1/2 of the first-place Boston Red Sox in the AL East. The loss was the third in four contests for San Francisco, which remained in the basement of the National League West. The Giants have dropped 18 of their last 25 home games.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (6-4, 2.95 ERA) vs. Giants RH Chad Gaudin (5-2, 2.56)
Chen suffered his first loss in five decisions Sunday despite allowing just three runs over seven innings against the Seattle Mariners. The 28-year-old native of Taiwan has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his five outings since returning from an oblique injury and all but one of his 13 starts this season. Chen, who will be facing the Giants for the first time in his career, is 3-3 with a 3.14 ERA in eight road outings.
Gaudin settled for a no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday despite allowing only one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The 30-year-old has been a fine addition to San Francisco's rotation, going 5-1 while yielding more than three runs only twice in 10 starts. Gaudin is 0-1 with a 5.48 ERA in 11 games - one start - against the Orioles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Davis is tied with Detroit's Miguel Cabrera for the major-league lead with 108 RBIs.
2. San Francisco RHP Guillermo Moscoso will return to the bullpen with the return of RHP Ryan Vogelsong.
3. Orioles SS J.J. Hardy reached the 20-homer plateau for the fifth time in his career Friday. He joined Miguel Tejada and Cal Ripken Jr. as the only shortstops in club history to hit 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons.
PREDICTION: Giants 3, Orioles 2