Orioles at Angels
The Baltimore Orioles aim for their first series sweep of the season on Sunday as they face the host Los Angeles Angels, who have lost three in a row following a four-game winning streak. The Angels were trending upward after completing a two-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Orioles quickly erased that momentum with three surprising road victories.
Pedro Severino and Jonathan Villar homered while Hanser Alberto delivered a two-run single in Saturday’s 8-7 win as the Orioles set a major-league record with multiple home runs in their 10th straight game. Severino went 4-for-5 with four RBIs to lead Baltimore, which has won seven of its 10 contests since falling 38 games below .500 on July 16. The Angels’ pitching staff has been in disarray since the team used 10 different pitchers in Thursday’s 16-inning, 10-8 loss, but Trevor Cahill provided a boost with three solid innings of relief on Saturday. Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Albert Pujols homered in the loss while leadoff hitter David Fletcher went 4-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (5-11, 5.14 ERA) vs. Angels RH Felix Pena (8-3, 4.82)
Bundy missed one start due to tendinitis in his right knee before returning to face Arizona on Tuesday, when he allowed two runs over six innings in a 7-2 victory. The 26-year-old Oklahoman is 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA in 10 starts at home this season, compared to 4-4 with a 4.10 mark in nine outings away from Camden Yards. Trout is 4-for-9 with two homers against Bundy, who owns a 1-2 record and 7.13 ERA in four career games (three starts) versus the Angels.
Pena recorded the victory against the Dodgers on Tuesday as he allowed one run over 3 2/3 innings after following the "opener." The 29-year-old Dominican leads the team in wins, innings pitched (89 2/3) and strikeouts (96). Pena has pitched following an "opener" in 14 of his last 16 games but could serve as the traditional starter on Sunday, given the team’s uncertain pitching situation.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles OF Dwight Smith Jr. left Saturday’s game with left calf soreness and is listed as day-to-day.
2. The Angels recalled LHP Dillon Peters and purchased the contract of RHP Jose Rodriguez from Triple-A Salt Lake while optioning Nick Tropeano to the Bees and placing fellow RHP Noe Ramirez (infection) on the 10-day injured list.
3. Baltimore DH Mark Trumbo has had his rehab assignment shut down for a few days due to lingering knee soreness.