Sunday afternoon baseball: Cleveland at Orioles

Game Preview Cleveland (58-71) at Orioles (53-77) After dropping two of three vs. Cleveland, the Orioles will need a win this afternoon at 1:35 p.m. to split this four-game series with the Indians. Andy Marte hit a three-run homer in the 6th inning Saturday night to put Cleveland ahead 4-2 and the Tribe went on to a 5-3 win. Marte's two-run homer in the 9th Thursday lifted Cleveland to a 5-4 win. The Orioles are 1-2 this year vs. Cleveland and 39-43 all-time vs. the Tribe at Camden Yards. In today's series finale, Brian Matusz (2-2, 6.46) takes the mound for the Orioles vs. Cleveland's Justin Masterson (4-5, 4.47). Rookie pitchers have started 76 of the Orioles' 130 games on the year and the club's record is 29-47 when a rookie is the starter. The O's bullpen, which pitched to an ERA of 2.10 on the club's recent road trip, has allowed nine earned runs and 19 hits in 11 innings in this series for an ERA of 7.36. The O's are 1-2 on this ten-game homestand and 31-33 at home on the year. The Orioles are 13-29 since the All-Star game and are just 1-10-1 in 12 series since the break. Despite scoring just three runs on Saturday, the Orioles have scored 31 runs over the past five games with a team average of .313 and six homers in that stretch. Cleveland, which is 16-11 over its last 27 games, is 16-16 this year vs. AL East clubs. The Indians are 15-11 in August and are 23-17 in the second half. O's hitters, this series: Andino: 1-2, run Aubrey: 0-0 Izturis: 3-12, 2 rbi Jones: 0-3, run Markakis: 5-14, HR, 4 rbi Moeller: 2-2, HR, rbi Mora: 4-12, HR, rbi Pie: 5-10, HR, 3 rbi Reimold: 2-10, two runs Roberts: 0-10. rbi Scott: 3-8, 2 2B, rbi Wieters: 5-12, HR, 5 rbi Wigginton: 4-11, rbi