The set-up: The Orioles won 6-5 (10 innings) last night at home over the Pirates. Baltimore led all of MLB with 253 home runs last season but opened this series with a more modest total of 76 HRs, which ranked ninth. However, the Orioles cranked four HRs last night, including a two-run shot in the ninth that sent the game into extra innings. The 30-26 Orioles (2 1/2 games out of first in the AL East) are somewhat stuck in neutral lately (5-5 last 10) but are 20-10 at home. The Pirates look to earn a split in this two-game IL series tonight and have been languishing near the bottom of the NL Central all season but with no team playing all that well, the 26-32 Pirates may be in last place but they are just 4 1/2 games out of first.

The pitching matchup: Chad Kuhl (1-5 & 6.02 ERA) gets the ball for Pittsburgh and Wade Miley (2-3 & 2.82 ERA) for Baltimore. Kuhl won his 2017 debut (back on April 8) but is winless, since. He's 0-5 over 10 starts (team is 2-8) and has has not pitched more than five innings since a six-inning stint at St. Louis back on April 18. Kuhl is seeing the Orioles for the first time but owns a 2.19 ERA in two interleague starts (think that matters?). Miley's had a solid season for Baltimore and is coming off a strong effort against one of his former teams, as he held the Red Sox to one run on five hits in seven innings to earn a win last Thursday. He has allowed two or fewer ERs in seven of his last nine outings in 2017, although the Orioles are just 6-5 in his starts. Miley is 2-2 with a 3.11 ERA in six career starts against the Pirates (teams are 3-3).

The pick: No reason to believe that Kuhl will gets things turned around here (6.02 ERA, 1.58 WHIP & .293 BAA) and as noted, Miley's given the Orioles a chance to win in almost all of his 2017 starts. He deserves a win here and gets it against a Pittsburgh team just 12-19 on the road. Make Baltimore a 10* play.