Orioles at Pirates
Although the sample size is relatively small, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen has tormented the Baltimore Orioles throughout his career. McCutchen took it to another level in Tuesday's 10-1 drubbing of the visiting Orioles and looks to continue his success when the teams end their two-game series Wednesday night at PNC Park.
McCutchen went 4-for-4 with two homers, including his first career grand slam, and eight RBIs to raise his batting average against Baltimore to .500 (25-for-50) in 13 games. Fellow outfielder Starling Marte, who bats in front of McCutchen, has hit safely in seven straight games after collecting a pair of hits and scoring three times to lift Pittsburgh to its third straight win. It was the ninth loss in 12 games for the Orioles, whose beleaguered pitching staff has been pummeled for at least eight runs in eight of their last nine setbacks. Rookie left fielder Trey Mancini had one of Baltimore's five hits to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Gabriel Ynoa (2-2, 3.41 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Chad Kuhl (7-11, 4.31)
Shifted to the starting rotation earlier this month, Ynoa was outstanding against Tampa Bay on Thursday, going a season-high eight innings and allowing one run on five hits. He lost his previous two starts - each on the road at the New York Yankees and Cleveland - by allowing six runs over a combined nine innings. Ynoa owns a 2.78 ERA at home compared to a 5.00 ERA on the road.
Kuhl has pitched reasonably well since a 12-start winless drought earlier this season, but he was tagged for four solo home runs over 4 2/3 innings of a loss at Cincinnati last time out. The 25-year-old yielded seven earned runs over his previous five starts but went only 2-2 in that span. Kuhl faced the Orioles at Baltimore in June, pitching five innings of one-run ball in a no-decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. McCutchen's eight RBIs were one shy of the franchise record and the most by a Pittsburgh player since Jason Bay on July 2, 2004.
2. Orioles 1B Chris Davis ran his hitting streak to five games after swatting his 26th homer Tuesday.
3. Pirates OF-2B Adam Frazier has three two-hit games in his last four.