Indians at Orioles
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman is coming off the worst year of his career, winning once in 24 appearances and posting an exorbitant 7.84 ERA. The 2017 season has started in similar fashion for the 30-year-old Tillman, who seeks his first win since May 7 when he makes his first home start against the visiting Cleveland Indians on Saturday afternoon.
Baltimore kicked off its 10-game homestand by finally halting a string of six straight losses with a 3-1 victory over the Indians in Friday's opener of a four-game set. Left fielder Trey Mancini delivered a tiebreaking two-run double but later had to leave the game when he slammed his knee into the wall while trying to catch a foul ball. Cleveland has dropped two in a row after winning six of seven and was limited to one run in each of the past two games while failing to score in the final eight innings Friday. Right-hander Mike Clevinger, a 12-game winner a year ago, looks to stay unbeaten against the Orioles when he makes his fourth career start against them.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mike Clevinger (1-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (0-3, 11.91)
After allowing one run over his first two starts, Clevinger lasted only four innings and was tagged for four runs on just three hits over four innings in a no-decision against Toronto. He opened the season with 5 1/3 scoreless innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels and gave up one run despite allowing 10 hits in a no-decision versus Kansas City. Clevinger has made three starts against Baltimore, going 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA.
Tillman has turned in three sub-par starts and is coming off a wretched performance last time out at Boston when he was battered for six runs and seven hits in two-plus innings. He pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees on April 7 and permitted five runs on eight hits after giving up four runs over four innings at Houston in his season debut. Edwin Encarnacion is 18-for-60 with four homers against Tillman.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles SS Manny Machado homered for the third time in two days to extend his hitting streak to eight games.
2. Indians LF Michael Brantley has multiple hits in five straight games, lifting his batting average to .351.
3. Mike Napoli, who play for Texas last year and signed a minor-league deal with Cleveland, will undergo season-ending knee surgery.