(Sports Network) - The Baltimore Orioles hope to play spoiler when they wrap up their three-game series against the Chicago White Sox this evening at U.S. Cellular Field.
After losing the first game of this series to the playoff-hopeful White Sox, Baltimore evened the set at a game apiece on Wednesday, when Matt Wieters collected two hits and drove in two runs in support of seven strong innings from Brian Matusz in the Orioles' 4-2 win.
Brian Roberts added a solo home run and Felix Pie singled twice and scored for the Orioles, who halted a two-game slide.
Baltimore is now 13-9 under new manager Buck Showalter. The team needed 40 games to get its 13th win under Dave Trembley and 33 games to attain win No. 13 under interim skipper Juan Samuel.
Matusz (6-12) received enough run support to pick up the win after allowing a lone run on just three hits, while walking one and fanning five. Koji Uehara gave up a run in the ninth but hung on to earn his second save of the season.
"There's been some tough times this year where I felt like I was just out of my element and the hardest part is to be able to find it and get it back and make that adjustment," said Matusz, who has allowed one earned run or less in four of his last five starts and is 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA in August.
Mark Buehrle (12-10) was saddled with the loss after permitting four runs on six hits and four walks in seven innings for the White Sox, who remained 3 1/2 games behind front-running Minnesota in the AL Central. The Twins lost in Texas on Wednesday.
Gordon Beckham homered in the loss and is hitting .326 with eight homers and 30 RBI since July 20.
Getting the call for the Orioles tonight will be another one of their young arms in 24-year-old righty Jake Arrieta, who is just 4-5 with a 4.90 ERA on the year. Arrieta lost his second straight start Friday against Texas, but pitched well in allowing two runs (one earned) and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 2-0 defeat.
"Jake was really good, gave us a really good chance to win," Showalter said after that game. "Some of our young guys seem to be getting stronger, giving us a really good chance to win. "
Arrieta has never faced the White Sox, who will pin their hopes on righty Edwin Jackson. The newly-acquired right-hander was slated to start on Friday in Kansas City, but the game was rained out after he threw seven pitches and Ozzie Guillen opted against him pitching in the doubleheader the next day.
"It's a tough decision," Guillen said. "I talked to Jackson and he said he was fine and ready to go. But the smart thing -- and the right thing to do -- is don't pitch him. I don't want to be in the game and hold my breath for three hours when he's on the mound. I'd rather lose a game than lose a pitcher."
Jackson is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his three starts with the White Sox since being acquired from the Diamondbacks. He is also an impressive 4-1 with a 4.35 ERA in eight games (six starts) against the O's.
The Orioles have won four of six contests with the White Sox this season and are 7-3 in the past 10 meetings of this series.