Baltimore @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2013 ) Baltimore 2, San Francisco 3

Bay Area native Bud Norris takes the mound Sunday as the Baltimore Orioles look for a series win against the San Francisco Giants, who finally gave their fans something to cheer about on Saturday. San Francisco edged the Orioles 3-2 for its eighth win in its last 26 home games, while Baltimore fell 5 1/2 games back of first-place Boston in the American League East and remained 1 1/2 games back of the second AL wild-card spot. The Orioles are 3-1 on their eight-game West Coast road trip.

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis, who is hitting .449 (22-for-49) in 13 interleague games this season, leads the majors with 42 home runs after going deep in two of his last three games. While the Giants’ Brandon Belt isn’t putting up Davis’ power numbers, the first baseman is quieting his critics with an impressive second-half surge. Belt is hitting .464 (13-for-28) in August, and manager Bruce Bochy has rewarded the 25-year-old by moving him up in the order during his hot streak.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Bud Norris (8-9, 3.78 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (7-7, 4.47)

Norris has allowed three earned runs over 12 innings in his first two starts since being traded from Houston to Baltimore. “It's been great to come over with a ballclub that's in a pennant race and focused on winning,” Norris told reporters. Marco Scutaro is 4-for-8 with a homer against the 28-year-old, who is 0-2 with a 3.52 ERA in four career starts against the Giants.

Cain has returned to form over his last four starts, allowing a total of six earned runs in 27 innings. He allowed his first home run since June 23 last Tuesday against the Brewers, when he took the loss despite pitching seven solid innings. J.J. Hardy is 4-for-14 with one homer against Cain, who has never faced the Orioles in his nine-year career.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants have scored two or fewer runs with Cain on the mound in seven of his last eight starts.

2. Baltimore is 14-18 in one-run games.

3. San Francisco has won its last nine straight games when scoring at least four runs.

PREDICTION: Orioles 3, Giants 1