Where: Camden Yards

Pat’s Prediction Record: 39-40

GAME 1

When: 7:05

The Starters: Zach Britton vs. Jarrod Parker

The Athletics come into town in a huge series for both teams. As of right now, the A’s hold the second wild-card spot and the Orioles are sitting just 1.5 games back. The A’s have come out of nowhere and are smoking hot, winning 13 of 16 games in July, including a 4 game sweep of the Yankees last week. Much of this streak has been in thanks to great pitching, tonight the A’s have Jarrod Parker on the mound. Parker has been having a great surprise year so far. He is 7-4 with a 3.00 ERA, and pitched 8 innings and gave up just one run to the Yankees in his last start. Although he has been good most of the year, he has had some bad games. He went 4.2 innings against Seattle and gave up 6 runs, and he went just 2 innings against the Giants and gave up 6 runs. The Orioles need to try to get to him early before he gets locked in. As, for the Orioles starter, Zach Britton, he will be making his third start of the year in this one. After having a bad start in his first start of the year, he bounced back very nicely in his second start. He didn’t allow a run in six innings pitched in the 4-3 win against Cleveland. The biggest thing for him is to not walk as many guys as he did in his first start of the year when he walked six batters. I think that the A’s are going to take game one by a score of 3-2.

GAME 2

When: 7:05

The Starters: Tommy Hunter vs. Bartolo Colon

The Orioles have Tommy Hunter on the hill to start the second game of this three game set. Hunter has been much better since being sent down to the minors for a little while. In his two starts since he has gotten back he has pitched 14.1 innings and has given up 4 runs. One thing that Hunter can try to do better in this game is to not let up the home run ball. He has given up at least one home run in his last 9 starts. As for the A’s, they have Bartolo Colon on the mound in this one. Colon has had an average year so far and especially in his last two starts. Although Colon’s record is below average at 6-8, his ERA is above average at 3.97. In his last two starts, he has given up four runs in each, but has gone into the 7th inning in each of them. In his only start against the Orioles this year, he went 8.1 innings and gave up 2 earned runs, but the Orioles still won 5-2. A game in which, ironically, Hunter was pitching for the O’s. He went 7 innings and gave up 2 earned runs. I think that the orioles will win this one, 6-4.

GAME 3

When: 1:35

The Starters: Wei-Yin Chen vs. Travis Blackley

For the final game of this series, the Athletics have, somewhat newly acquired, Travis Blackley on the mound. The A’s traded for him in mid-May, they got him from the Giants. This will be his tenth start of the year for the A’s and he has pitched very well. He has only had one bad start and has been very consistent all year. As for the Orioles, they have Wei-Yin Chen on the mound. Chen has pitched very well this year and has gone from their fifth starter to their first starter in a matter of months. Chen is 8-6 with a 3.82 ERA, which is very good for a rookie. In his only start against the A’s this year, Chen went 7 innings and gave up 1 run in the Orioles 7-1 win. Chen is at his best when he doesn’t walk many people. I think that he will pitch well in this one and the Orioles will win, 3-2.