Baltimore Orioles vs Seattle Mariners

It looks like the Baltimore Orioles are poised to challenge for the AL East pennant. The Orioles are 28-14 to start the season. Many thought this team as going to be hitting first, but the Oriole team pitching has been outstanding, and I think that will be the difference in this one. Seattle lost the opener here 9-2. It marked the 12th time in 15 games that the Baltimore pitching staff allowed three or fewer runs, while the offense continues to produce better than five runs a game. The math and odds don't work here. The Mariners have allowed five or more runs in seven of their last 15 outings. Make the play on Baltimore.

The Yankees and the Orioles seem to be battling for the top spot in the rugged AL East. Baltimore takes the field at 27-13. They will host the Seattle Mariners which is a team that has been playing well at 24-20 on the season. The Mariners will start Bryce Miller tonight. Miller has been very good after dropping six straight decisions, as the Mariners are now 5-2 in his last seven decisions, and has held four of them to four or fewer runs. Baltimore will go with John Means wwho is just 26-44 in 70 big-league decisions, and that puts a good Seattle team within reach, of this game, as I believe they have a favorable pitching match-up here. Baltimore is actually playing better on the road where they are 12-5 vs. just 15-9 at home. Baltimore has lost two out of three and I like Seattle in this one.

Baltimore is 3,000 miles from home and has lost three of five. Starter Kyle Bradish has a 4.06 ERA on the road this year. The Orioles squeezed out a 1-0 win yesterday but are 22-56 on the road after batting .175 or less over a three-game stretch, plus 38-83 after back-to-back contests where they had 5 or fewer hits. Seattle is on a 15-5 run, as well as a 25-11 run in the second half of the season. The pitching is No. 1 in all of baseball in ERA (3.69) and WHIP, with the second-best bullpen (3.44 ERA). Starter Bryce Miller has a 3.49 ERA at home this season along with an 85-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 85+ innings. The Mariners are 62-40 after playing three or more straight home games, plus 39-25 after a game where they had 4 or fewer hits. Play Seattle. 

Baltimore is 3,000 miles from home and looked jet-lagged in the opener of his series losing 9-2. Cole Irvin (5.44 ERA) gets the start and he's winless on the road this season with a 5.30 ERA. Meanwhile, Seattle has won seven in a row, part of a 15-4 run, as well as a 25-10 run in the second half of the season. The pitching is No. 1 in all of baseball in ERA (3.72) and WHIP, with the second-best bullpen (3.45 ERA). Starter George Kirby (3.32 ERA) has a 114-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 135+ innings. The Mariners are 62-39 after playing three or more straight home games, plus 14-4 after five or more consecutive victories. Play Seattle as a Max Play.