Orioles at Braves
The Baltimore Orioles still own one of the worst records in the majors but have not played like it as they aim for a road sweep of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. Baltimore has found its offense against the National League East leaders as Mark Trumbo belted a grand slam and Chris Davis added a three-run double in Saturday’s 7-5 victory, and in the series the Orioles have collected 17 runs on 22 hits, after averaging just 3.2 runs and 7.5 hits in losing 11 of their previous 13 outings.
Davis – who had not played since June 11 until Friday – has five RBIs through the first two contests of the series, while Trumbo slugged his fourth homer in his past six outings to extend his hitting streak to seven games. The Braves are struggling offensively, hitting just .246 as a team while going 6-5 in their last 11 games with 75 runners left on base – 25 in the past two games. First baseman Freddie Freeman struck out twice Saturday and has whiffed 10 times in his past 24 at-bats. Second baseman Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to five games with a career-high four hits and is hitting 9-for-22 in that stretch.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH David Hess (2-3, 4.82 ERA) vs. Braves RH Brandon McCarthy (5-3, 4.89)
Hess makes his eighth major-league start looking to rebound after giving up five runs in each of his past two turns, walking seven in eight combined innings against Boston and Washington. The Tennessee Tech product has surrendered one earned run or fewer in three outings and is holding right-handed batters to a .229 average. Hess went 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in six starts at Triple-A Norfolk this season.
McCarthy makes his first start since June 15 after moving into the bullpen temporarily, although he did not make a relief appearance. The 34-year-old held San Diego to two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings in his last appearance and has surrendered two earned runs or fewer in four of his past six outings. McCarthy last faced the Orioles in 2014, going 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA in two starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Orioles have won a road series for just the third time in 13 tries and aim Sunday for their first three-game sweep of the season.
2. Baltimore SS Manny Machado tripled in the seventh Saturday, moving within 50 hits of 1,000 for his career.
3. Atlanta optioned OF Preston Tucker to Triple-A Gwinnett Saturday and recalled RHP Lucas Sims.