Orioles at Braves
Manny Machado, who will be a prized target on the free-agent market this offseason, has snapped out of a recent slump and hopes to continue hitting when the Baltimore Orioles visit the Atlanta Braves on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game interleague series. Machado finished 2-for-5 on Friday, belting his first homer since June 2 in the 15th inning to help lift the Orioles to a 10-7 victory after they scored six times in the ninth before yielding four runs in the bottom half to send the game to extra frames.
Machado entered the series opener hitting just .200 in his previous 13 games, but he and Chris Davis – who homered and drove in two runs in his first game since June 11 – provided the power for the Orioles to win for just the third time in 14 games. The Braves, who lead the National League East by 2 ½ games over Philadelphia and three over Washington, were 36-1 when leading after eight innings before their bullpen melted down and allowed six hits in the ninth. Charlie Culberson, who gave Atlanta a 3-1 lead in the eighth with a two-run double, is hitting .314 with 14 RBIs in his last 21 games. Nick Markakis finished the series opener with two hits, driving home the game-tying run in the ninth.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (5-7, 3.81 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (5-4, 3.97)
Bundy has experienced a series of highs (a 14-strikeout performance on May 14) and lows (giving up seven runs without retiring a batter on May 8) this season. The 25-year-old began the month with 15 scoreless innings and only six hits allowed in a win against the Mets and a no-decision versus Boston. Bundy allowed four runs and five hits in six frames on Sunday, beating Miami for his third win in four decisions.
Teheran was outstanding in his last start on Sunday against San Diego, firing six hitless innings with a season-high 11 strikeouts to snap a three-start losing streak. The 27-year-old gave up nine earned runs over his first two starts of the season but has posted a 3.26 ERA with 62 strikeouts over 69 innings in his last 12 outings. Teheran lost his only career appearance against Baltimore in 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Braves CF Ender Inciarte, who moved back to the leadoff spot Friday and went 2-for-5, and is hitting .364 over his past nine games.
2. Baltimore RHP Miguel Castro pitched three scoreless innings in the series opener, his 12th stint of two-plus frames this season.
3. Atlanta placed RHP Mike Soroka (shoulder) on the disabled list Friday and expects to start RHP Brandon McCarthy in Sunday’s series finale.