The Baltimore Orioles hold a 2½ game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays for the top spot in the AL East with 6 games remaining on the slate. Tonight they open a quick 2-game set with the 69-88 Washington Nationals at the Yard then wrap it up at Birdland with a 4-game series with the Boston Red Sox. The Orioles have had the Nationals’ number. They swept them earlier in the year in Washington, outscoring them 5-0 in their 2-game series, and are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings. Tonight’s expected starter for Baltimore is Kyle Bradish and he has been dealing. Bradish is 11-7 on the season with a 3.01 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and over his last 3 starts he is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.79. On the other side, Washington is expected to go with Josiah Gray. He comes in at 8-12 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. The Orioles’ magic number is 3 and with the Nationals and Red Sox as their last two opponents they are looking pretty good.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES