Marlins at Orioles
Brian Anderson continues to make an impression in his first full season with the Miami Marlins and looks to add to his best month Saturday afternoon against the host Baltimore Orioles in the middle contest of a three-game interleague series. Anderson had two hits in Miami’s 2-0 victory on Friday and the 25-year-old is 21-for-55 in June with 10 RBIs to raise his overall batting average to .307.
Anderson, who has appeared in all 70 games, played a big role as the Marlins won four of their last five outings and 24-year-old center fielder Lewis Brinson is also warming up while going 7-for-19 with five RBIs over the past five contests. Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen will try to extend Miami’s surge when he takes the mound against the team he won 46 games with from 2012-15 to start his major league career and slumping Baltimore counters with righty Alex Cobb, who has already lost eight games in his first season with the team. The Orioles own the worst record in the majors (19-49) after dropping a season-high eight straight games overall and 10 in a row at home. Adam Jones had one of three hits for Baltimore on Friday and is 8-for-25 over his last six games while star shortstop Manny Machado is struggling through a 4-for-28 stretch.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Wei-Yin Chen (1-3, 6.13 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Alex Cobb (2-8, 7.23)
Chen has not won since his season debut on April 28, going more than five innings just twice during his winless stretch. The 32-year-old Taiwan native gave up four runs on six hits and four walks across 4 1/3 innings Monday for a no-decision in a 7-5 victory over San Francisco. Jace Peterson is 2-for-4 versus Chen, who is 0-3 with a 10.31 ERA in five road starts this season and has issued 22 walks over 39 2/3 innings in 2018.
Cobb followed up his second win of the season by suffering through his worst start of 2018 on Sunday in Toronto when he allowed nine runs over 3 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old Boston native had posted three quality starts in four outings before yielding 11 hits - two homers - last time out against the Blue Jays. Cameron Maybin (1-for-8) has a homer against Cobb, who is 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in four career games versus Miami.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore 1B Corban Joseph was recalled Friday and made his first major league appearance since 2013 - going 1-for-4.
2. Miami placed LHP Caleb Smith on the bereavement list Friday while recalling RHPs Merandy Gonzalez and reinstating Brett Graves.
3. Orioles 3B Danny Valencia saw his six-game hitting streak (8-for-23) come to an end by going 0-for-3 in the series opener.