Indians at Orioles
Two days, two dominating victories for the major league-worst Baltimore Orioles over the playoff-hopeful Cleveland Indians. The Orioles will try to continue their surprising surge and polish off their first three-game sweep of the season when they host the Indians in the finale on Sunday.
Baltimore, which had not won consecutive games since May 4 and 6, got a combined nine RBIS from Chance Sisco and Anthony Santander in a 13-0 drubbing on Friday and watched the two each homer again while Renato Nunez added a pair of blasts in Saturday's 13-0 victory. The twin 13-run outbursts marked the most runs scored this season for the Orioles while the back-to-back shutouts are the first for the rebuilding franchise since Sept. 2 and 3, 2016. Cleveland entered the series winners of 10 of 13 but watched Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac get roughed up and asked the bullpen to cover 10 2/3 innings, including two innings on Saturday from infielder Mike Freeman. Indians right-hander Shane Bieber will try to stop the bleeding while righty Gabriel Ynoa attempts to lead Baltimore to its first three-game winning streak since it took four straight from March 30-April 2.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), MASN 2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Shane Bieber (6-3, 3.83 ERA) Vs. Orioles RH Gabriel Ynoa (0-5, 6.75)
Bieber is hoping to rediscover the magic he found at home against Baltimore on May 19, when he struck out 15 and scattered five hits in his first career shutout. The 24-year-old allowed two earned runs in each of his last three starts but is 1-1 in that span after being held out of the decision Tuesday against Kansas City. Bieber held the Royals to six hits and the two earned runs but was lifted after 5 1/3 innings and 100 pitches before watching the Indians drop an 8-6 decision.
Ynoa is being given a chance to stick in the rotation and is not running with the opportunity while getting hammered in his last two outings. The 26-year-old Dominican Republic native was knocked around for six runs and seven hits across 5 1/3 innings at Oakland on June 18 and could not make it out of the third inning at Seattle last Sunday, serving up seven runs on five hits and three walks in 2 1/3 frames. Ynoa made a pair of relief appearances at Cleveland last month and yielded a total of eight runs - six earned - over 3 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Indians are the first team ever to be shut out by 13 or more runs in back-to-back games.
2. Baltimore SS Jonathan Villar scored 12 runs in his last 10 games.
3. Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar (shoulder) is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday.