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Orioles-Padres Preview

Jun 19, 2010 - 6:49 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Baltimore (18-49) at San Diego (39-28), 8:35 p.m. EDT

The Baltimore Orioles haven't won a series away from Camden Yards this season. The San Diego Padres would like to keep it that way.

The NL West-leading Padres aim to secure their first series win against the Orioles on Saturday when this three-game set continues at Petco Park.

Julio Lugo's two-out RBI single in the ninth inning gave Baltimore a 2-1 lead Friday, but San Diego (39-28) rallied for a 3-2 victory as Adrian Gonzalez's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the frame drove in the winning run.

It was the Padres' 10th victory this season in their final at-bat - tied for third-most in the majors.

"We definitely go into these situations believing we are going to be successful," said Gonzalez, batting .424 with six homers and 18 RBIs in his last 15 games. "We believe in ourselves from the beginning."

San Diego, which moved a full game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the division lead, needs one victory in the next two days to win its first series versus Baltimore, which took two of three in each of the first two matchups between these clubs.

The Orioles (18-49) have dropped 18 of 21 and haven't won a series since taking two of three from Seattle from May 11-13.

Baltimore, which has a major league-worst 7-28 road record, hasn't won a series win away from Camden Yards since Sept. 11-13 at the New York Yankees.

Giving the ball to veteran right-hander Kevin Millwood (0-8, 5.16 ERA) doesn't seem to give the Orioles much hope of evening this series. Millwood has yielded at least six runs and 10 hits in each of his last three outings, and has served up nine of his major league-high 19 homers while losing four straight starts.

Millwood is tied for the AL lead in losses and has given up the third-most hits in the majors with 108.

"I'm a little confused. I feel like I've been trying too many things," he said after giving up season highs of eight runs and 11 hits in Sunday's 11-4 loss to the New York Mets. "I've just got a million things running through my head instead of just trying to execute pitches, and that's nobody's fault but my own."

Millwood has enjoyed success against San Diego in the past, going 6-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 14 starts.

The Padres will counter with Clayton Richard (4-3, 2.71), who has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last three starts, though he has no decisions to show for it due to poor run support. The left-hander limited Seattle to two runs over seven innings Sunday - a game San Diego eventually lost 4-2.

Richard won his only previous start against Baltimore, allowing three runs over six innings of a 4-3 win for the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards on Aug. 25, 2008.

He will now face an Orioles club scoring a major league-low 3.2 runs per game. Richard should be careful against right fielder Nick Markakis, who leads all major league left-handed hitters with a .375 batting average versus lefty pitchers.

Baltimore is 2-40 when it scores three runs or fewer.