Orioles Look To Avoid Indians Sweep

The Baltimore Orioles had all the momentum a team could ask for coming into their series with the Cleveland Indians. They had won 16 of their last 22 games and were sporting an eight game win-streak. Then they dropped the first two games of a three-game weekend series to the Indians. That series will wrap up today.

The Orioles have struggled against AL Central opponents this season and things have not changed over the last two game against the Indians. In the last game, the Orioles got shut out 0-6. Th Orioles do not have to feel to worried though, they still have comfortable 6.5 game-lead over the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. Regardless, they are going to want to avoid the getting swept in this series.

Cleveland, on the other hand, could use every win they can manage. They are five games behind the AL Central leading Kansas City Royals and are also behind the Detroit Tigers in the standings. As long as they keep getting W’s the Indians will stay in the playoff race, as they look for an AL Wild Card spot.

Trying to help the Orioles avoid getting swept up by the Indians is rookie Kevin Gausman. Gausman has saw his ERA drop in the second half. Gausman,though, has been better when playing away from Baltimore.

In his last start he took a loss, allowing eight hits with three runs over five Innings against the St. Louis Cardinals a week ago. He has an overall ERA of 3.90 and is 6-4 on the season.

The Indians will be sending Danny Salazar to the mound to counter Gausman. Salazar is quickly becoming on of Cleveland’s most impressive pitching prospects. Over the last six games he has had an ERA of 0.69. However, those games were in Triple-A not the MLB

Overall, Salazar has a 4.88 ERA with a 4-5 record.

The Indians are the favorites to sweep the Orioles with a -120 moneyline. The Orioles moneyline is EVEN.