Orioles @ Red Sox

Who will WIN this matchup?

Baltimore Orioles (5-9)

@ Boston Red Sox (5-9)

Starting Pitchers:

Cashner (BAL): 2-1; 5.28 ERA

Porcello (BOS) 0-2; 13.50 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Baltimore Orioles: 2-8

Boston Red Sox: 4-6

Current odds:

Baltimore Orioles: (+210)

Boston Red Sox: (-250)

• The Boston Red Sox ticked off a couple of milestones for the 2019 season on Friday – first back-to-back victories and first win by a starting pitcher – and it only took the defending champs 14 games. The Red Sox will try to make it three straight wins when they host the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday in the second of a four-game series. Boston got off to a 3-9 start due in large part to poor starting pitching but received 6 2/3 strong innings from Eduardo Rodriguez in Friday’s series opener and enough from the bats to earn a 6-4 victory. The Red Sox took an early lead with some power behind a home run from Andrew Benintendi and an RBI double from Xander Bogaerts before tacking on some insurance runs with small ball in a well-rounded effort.

• The Orioles are trending in the opposite direction with losses in four straight and eight of their last nine games while enduring their own problems on the mound with an average of 8.3 runs allowed in those nine contests. Baltimore will turn to right-hander Andrew Cashner to stop the bleeding on Saturday while Boston hopes righty Rick Porcello can give it back-to-back quality outings.

• Cashner started on opening day and was knocked around in a loss at the New York Yankees but fared better in his next two turns, earning the win in each. The veteran Texan tossed six scoreless innings in a win at Toronto on April 2 and got the win against the Oakland Athletics on Monday while yielding three earned runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 frames. Cashner did not face Boston last season and is 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA in two career starts against the Red Sox.

• Porcello was roughed up in each of his first two starts, lasting 2 2/3 innings at Seattle on March 31 and serving up seven runs and 10 hits over 4 2/3 frames at Arizona on April 5. The former Cy Young Award winner issued seven walks in those 7 1/3 innings and yielded a total of three home runs among 16 hits. Porcello won both of his starts against Baltimore last season, allowing a total of three runs while striking out 15 in 12 total frames.

• Orioles 1B Chris Davis lined out in a pinch-hitting appearance on Friday and is suffering through a MLB-record streak of 62 consecutive hitless plate appearances (54 at-bats).

• Red Sox 1B Mitch Moreland recorded at least one extra-base hit in each of his last six starts.

• Boston CF Jackie Bradley Jr. is 1-for-16 over his last six games.