The Chicago Cubs might be feeling right at home when they take on the host Baltimore Orioles again Wednesday night.
The Cubs hold a 10-2 all-time record at Camden Yards. In Chicago’s last four games in Baltimore dating to 2024, the Cubs have allowed a total of four runs and prevailed each time.
The Cubs won 5-2 in the weather-delayed series opener on Tuesday, making them winners in seven of their past nine games overall.
Chicago center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is riding a seven-game hitting streak after going 2-for-5 with an RBI on Tuesday. He is 11-for-24 (.458) during the streak, and he also has homered 12 times in 30 games since June 3.
“That’s most important that he can do both,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s obviously a great player that can do both … get on base and hit home runs.”
The Orioles managed just six hits, all singles, in the first matchup with the Cubs. They will try to avoid a third straight loss on Wednesday.
“I think our pitching staff has just continued to get better and improve, and we know our potential on offense,” Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman said. “We’ve just got to keep grinding away. Baseball’s a tough game, but this team’s built for it.”
Chicago has Colin Rea (6-5, 4.74 ERA) lined up as the starter for the middle game of the series. The right-hander hadn’t posted a victory since May 28 until July 1, when he held the San Diego Padres to two runs over five innings.
The Cubs were winless in the five games that Rea worked in June, but they got off to a better start in July with him on the mound. Last July, Rea won his first three outings, giving up one run in each start covering 18 2/3 total innings.
Rea has made three career starts against the Orioles without receiving a decision. His ERA in those games is 2.93 across 15 1/3 innings.
The Orioles will turn to right-hander Dean Kremer (1-1, 3.18 ERA) for his second start since coming off the injury list. It will be just his fourth outing of the season, but he was stellar across six innings on July 1 against the Chicago White Sox. He permitted just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out four.
He has made two career starts against the Cubs, going 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in nine innings.
With Shane Baz going six innings in the Tuesday loss, the Orioles should be stocked in the bullpen for the Wednesday game. Reliever Tyler Wells, who wasn’t used in the series opener, has been utilized in a variety of roles. Most recently, he earned his first two saves of the season last weekend in Cincinnati after closer Ryan Helsley landed on the injured list.
“No matter what situation we put him in, early in the game if he has to go three innings, if he has to clean up an inning, he just goes out there, competes and nothing changes,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “He’s just trying to attack that hitter at hand, that hitter in front of him, and that’s what all our relievers do.”
One reliever who did see action in the loss to the Cubs was Nick Raquet, who pitched a shutout ninth inning after being called up from Triple-A Norfolk prior to the game.
“It gives us another lefty and another look,” Albernaz said.
–Field Level Media
