Oakland @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2018 ) Oakland 3, Baltimore 2
Stephen Piscotty and the Oakland Athletics look to continue their impressive roll when they continue a three-game series at the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Piscotty had three hits and an RBI in a 3-2 win to begin the set, giving him a 12-game hitting streak and at least one RBI in six straight contests.
Piscotty's latest outburst, which gave him a .367 average over a 21-game span, helped the Athletics remain within three games of first-place Houston in the American League West. Oakland is 7-0 in starts made by Mike Fiers, who pitched six strong innings in Tuesday's win to help spare the relief corps ahead of another bullpen day, led by likely opener Liam Hendriks. The Orioles will counter with veteran Andrew Cashner as they inch toward a franchise record in losses (111 in 1939). Jonathan Villar drove in both runs for Baltimore on Tuesday and he has hit safely in all nine of his games this month.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS California (Oakland), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Liam Hendriks (0-1, 6.32 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Andrew Cashner (4-14, 4.89)
Hendriks will be making his fourth start this month but his first on the road. He has a 6.10 ERA in 16 career matchups (one start) with Baltimore and a 7.11 ERA at Camden Yards. Right-hander Frankie Montas, who was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday, is a candidate to eat up some innings in relief of Hendriks.
Cashner failed to get through five innings for the first time in over a month when he gave up three runs in 4 2/3 frames at Seattle last Wednesday. The outing left the 32-year-old at 0-4 with a 5.87 ERA over a span of four starts. Cashner also allowed three runs in 4 2/3 at Oakland on May 4, which left him 1-0 with a 4.30 ERA in five career matchups with the A's.
WALK-OFFS
1. A's LHP Sean Manaea will have arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder next week and is expected to miss all of 2019.
2. Villar has seven home runs in 36 games with Baltimore after hitting six in 87 games with Milwaukee to start the year.
3. Oakland needs one home run to reach 200 for the sixth time in franchise history.
PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Orioles 4