Baltimore @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2018 ) Baltimore 4, Minnesota 5

A pair of former teammates with the Tampa Bay Rays who are struggling mightily this season will square off on the mound when the Minnesota Twins go for a sweep of a four-game series against the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota's Jake Odorizzi seeks his first win in two months when he opposes Baltimore's Alex Cobb.

After a 1-8 road trip that ended with six straight losses, all the Twins needed was a return home -- and a visit from the worst team in the majors -- to snap out of their rut and post their first three-game win streak in over a month. Bobby Wilson had two hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking two-run double, and Max Kepler homered for the second straight day as Minnesota erased an early 3-0 deficit in Saturday's 5-4 victory. Baltimore, which dropped to 40 games below .500 with its fifth consecutive loss and 12th defeat in 13 games, will be hoping to avert a four-game sweep in the Twin Cities for the first time in franchise history. Jonathan Schoop has hit safely in five straight games overall for the Orioles and is 11-for-32 with a homer and four doubles against Odorizzi.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FS North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Alex Cobb (2-10, 6.53 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jake Odorizzi (3-6, 4.57)

Cobb's winless drought reached five starts despite a quality start at Philadelphia on Tuesday, when he took the loss after giving up three runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings. He had another strong effort in his previous road start when he tossed seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision at Atlanta. Joe Mauer is 3-for-5 against Cobb, who is 2-0 with a 2.20 ERA in three starts versus the Twins.

Odorizzi is mired in an even longer drought than Cobb, giving up two runs over five innings in a loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday to remain winless since May 8. The 28-year-old is 0-4 during that 10-start stretch and has failed to get through six innings eight times in that span. Odorizzi is 5-4 against the Orioles, including a no-decision on Opening Day when he yielded two hits in six scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins RH Fernando Rodney notched his 319th save to move into a tie with Todd Jones for 19th on the all-time saves.

2. Orioles DH Chris Davis hit a two-run homer Saturday but also set a franchise record with his 1,306th strikeout.

3. Kepler has five homers and 16 RBIs in 13 games against Baltimore.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Orioles 3