Orioles at Mariners
Already in the midst of a horrible week, the Baltimore Orioles received a scare when All-Star candidate Trey Mancini exited Wednesday’s game with a left elbow contusion. Fortunately, X-rays came back negative and the outfielder could be back in the lineup as soon as Thursday when the Orioles open a four-game series against the host Seattle Mariners.
Mancini, who is batting .304 with 16 homers and 35 RBIs, has been a pleasant surprise for an Orioles team riding a season-high eight-game losing streak after dropping three straight at Oakland while scoring a total of seven runs in the series. “Luckily, there is nothing fractured or broken,” Mancini told reporters. “Just going to be some swelling, so I’m not really sure of the timetable. Whenever that subsides and it feels better, then I’ll be back out there. But it’s always good to know that for a fact and get the X-rays just to make sure.” Seattle continues its seven-game homestand after posting an 8-2 victory Wednesday over Kansas City behind a stellar effort from Domingo Santana, who hit two home runs in a game for the third time this season and finished with five RBIs. Santana is batting .338 with five homers and 12 RBIs in his last 15 games for Seattle, which is 12-27 in its last 39 contests.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (3-8, 4.44 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (3-2, 6.20)
Bundy lost his second straight start last Saturday after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits over five-plus innings against Boston. The 26-year-old native Oklahoman posted a 6.67 ERA in his first six starts this season but owns a 3.09 mark and 44-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last eight outings covering 46 2/3 innings. Mallex Smith is 4-for-15 against Bundy, who is 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in three career games (one start) versus Seattle.
LeBlanc will work behind an opener on Thursday after allowing six runs over 2 2/3 innings against Oakland last Saturday. The outing marked a step back for the 34-year-old, who had given up a total of three runs with 10 strikeouts over his previous two appearances covering 14 innings. LeBlanc owns a 3.51 ERA in six career games (four starts) versus Baltimore – including a 2.31 mark in two starts last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles OF Dwight Smith Jr. is expected to be activated from the seven-day concussion injured list prior to Thursday’s contest.
2. Seattle C Tom Murphy has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, batting .314 with six home runs and 14 RBIs over that stretch.
3. Baltimore has scored three or fewer runs in 14 of its last 20 games.