Athletics at Orioles (Game 1)
The Baltimore Orioles scored five runs in three games against the New York Yankees and still managed to win the series. After rain postponed the opener of a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics, the host Orioles look to get the bats going in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
Baltimore recorded just one run in the final 22 innings of their set with the Yankees, but it led to a 1-0 victory in 10 innings on Thursday - giving the club two of three in the series and an 11-4 record at home. Among the many Orioles mired in a slump are slugger Chris Davis, who was 0-for-11 with six strikeouts versus New York, and Adam Jones, who went 1-for-11 in the series and hasn't homered since April 16. The Athletics have lost four straight and nine of their last 12 after being swept at home by Seattle earlier in the week. They will turn to surprising veteran Rich Hill in the opener while Baltimore counters with Mike Wright.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Rich Hill (3-3, 2.53 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Mike Wright (1-2, 5.18)
Hill turned in his third straight quality start Sunday against Houston but suffered the loss despite allowing two runs in six innings. He limited the Astros to a season-low two hits but recorded four strikeouts after producing 34 in 23 1/3 frames over his previous four outings. The University of Michigan product, who pitched in 14 games for the Orioles in 2009, has given up 23 earned runs in 21 2/3 career innings at Camden Yards.
Wright finished off a 7-0 loss to New York on Wednesday with an inning of work out of the bullpen but will be looking to build off his best start of the season. He gave up two runs and struck out a season-high six in six frames of a win over the Chicago White Sox on April 29, which was his third straight outing of at least six innings. The 26-year-old, who never has faced Oakland, is 2-3 with a 5.22 ERA at home.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore's bullpen owns a 2.45 ERA.
2. A's LF Khris Davis registered three home runs and five RBIs in the series versus Seattle.
3. Orioles LF Hyun Soo Kim is 10-for-18 on the season.