• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Braves-Orioles Preview

Jun 14, 2009 - 4:29 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (30-30) at Baltimore (25-36), 1:35 p.m. EDT

It's been a little more than two weeks since the Baltimore Orioles won consecutive games or a series. With Brad Bergesen on the mound, they might have a good chance to accomplish both.

On Sunday, the talented rookie looks for a third straight winning decision in the finale of a three-game home set with the Atlanta Braves.

Baltimore (26-36) scored six times in the seventh inning and snapped a three-game losing streak with an 8-4 win over Atlanta on Saturday.

The Orioles are 3-10 since winning a season-high five in a row from May 25-29, the last time they won consecutive games. Baltimore swept a three-game set with Toronto from May 25-27 for its last series victory.

"This is a start," manager Dave Trembley said.

Brian Roberts had four hits with two RBIs, and Adam Jones homered and drove in three Saturday for the Orioles, who scored one fewer run than they totaled during their previous five games.

Melvin Mora added three hits and his first RBI in 25 games to break the longest dry spell of his career for Baltimore.

"We needed a big game," Roberts said of the Orioles, who were batting .227 in their previous 12 games. "It didn't necessarily have to come in one inning. I'm not going to say that every ball we've hit for the past three weeks has been hard hit, but we've had good at-bats. I truly believe we've swung the bats better than we've looked like."

Roberts is batting .476 (10 for 21) during a five-game hitting streak and .324 (22 for 68) with nine RBIs versus the Braves (30-31), who've lost three of four and dropped to 4-1 in interleague play.

Coming off the best outing of his young career, Bergesen (3-2, 4.04 ERA) hopes to help Baltimore improve to 4-2 against the NL this season.

The 23-year-old right-hander allowed five hits while striking out a career-high six without a walk in eight scoreless innings of a 3-1 win over Seattle on Tuesday. Bergesen is 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last three starts.

"He just looks like he knows what he's doing. He looks very comfortable on the mound. He works fast and he can locate," Trembley said of Bergesen, who's made 10 starts since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on April 21.

Atlanta counters with veteran Derek Lowe (7-3, 3.44), who allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

"He had good stuff and kept us right there," manager Bobby Cox told the Braves' official Web site of Lowe, who's pitched into the seventh inning in each of his last five starts.

The right-hander is 8-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 15 starts against Baltimore but has not faced the Orioles as a starter since pitching for Boston in 2004.

Jeff Francoeur had three hits and two RBIs on Saturday for Atlanta, which won 7-2 in Friday's series opener.

Chipper Jones went without a hit in his fourth straight game and is hitless in his past 18 at-bats - tied for the second-longest such streak of his career.