Orioles at Mariners
The Baltimore Orioles suddenly have stopped scoring runs in bushels and
strive to break out of their offensive funk when they visit the Seattle
Mariners on Saturday for the third contest of their four-game set. Baltimore
managed just five runs and 13 hits while losing the first two games of
the series after averaging 8.3 runs during a seven-game winning streak.
Manny Machado went hitless in four at-bats on Friday to halt his 10-game hitting streak and said he isn't concerned with the quietness of the bats. "It's baseball. You're not going to hit every night, plain and simple," Machado told reporters. "You keep grinding it and keeping doing what you do, and you get through it." The Mariners are 5-2 on their nine-game homestand and received a boost on Friday from Dae-Ho Lee, who went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer to end a 16-game power drought. Seattle's Robinson Cano was hitless in four at-bats after going 11-for-28 during a seven-game hitting streak.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Tyler Wilson (4-5, 4.50 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (1-3, 4.15)
Wilson defeated Tampa Bay in his last turn despite surrendering five runs and 10 hits in five innings. He has allowed five runs in three of his last five starts but mixed in a dominant performance in which he blanked Boston on three hits over eight frames. Wilson is 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against the Mariners.
Paxton also gave up five runs over five innings in a no-decision against St. Louis his last time out, yielding eight hits while striking out seven. He has fanned 41 batters in 34 1/3 frames but also has a 1.67 WHIP and .320 batting average against. Paxton received a no-decision in his lone career start against Baltimore on Aug. 2, 2014, when he allowed two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez (calf) threw a 43-pitch bullpen session on Friday and is on pace to be activated after the All-Star break.
2. 1B Chris Davis hit his 181st homer as a member of the Orioles on Friday - one behind Ken Singleton for eighth place in franchise history.
3. Seattle LF Seth Smith is 4-for-8 with two homers in the series and 6-for-12 over his last three games.