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Surging Orioles look to clinch "Beltway Series" win

May 17, 2008 - 2:48 PM Washington (18-25) at Baltimore (22-19), 7:05 pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The Baltimore Orioles have made the come-from-behind win look easy of late.

The Orioles will try to jump out and not look back Saturday when they host the Washington Nationals in an interleague battle between regional rivals.

Baltimore has won three games in a row, coming from behind in each win. The Orioles fell behind, 2-0, in the series opener Friday before earning a 5-3 victory. Luke Scott homered and Brian Roberts scored two runs in the win.

Prior to interleague play, Baltimore swept a two-game series from divisional power Boston, outscoring the Red Sox, 11-4, after the third inning.

The Orioles will attempt to clinch a series win behind lefthander Brian Burres (3-1, 3.59 ERA). The converted reliever has lost three straight, allowing 12 runs - 10 earned - in 17 1/3 combined innings.

Baltimore's offense has not been much help to Burres, managing a total of four runs in his last three starts.

Washington will counter with Odalis Perez (1-3, 3.71). The lefthander earned his first win of the season Monday at New York despite allowing four runs and 11 hits in 6 1/3 frames.

In 21 career interleague games - 20 starts - Perez is 7-8 with a 4.88 ERA.

The Nationals had taken four straight from the Orioles before falling on Friday.