The set-up: The Orioles saw their three-game winning streak halted Saturday with Boston's 5-2 win. That victory allowed the 30-25 Red Sox to leap-frog the 29-25 Orioles, as both team chase the 32-21 first-place Yankees in the AL East. The rubber match of the series goes Sunday with the winner opening the new week in second-place.

The pitching matchup: Chris Sale (6-2 & 2.77 ERA) of Boston and Chris Tillman (1-2 & 5.87 ERA) square off in today's contest. Sale is coming off his worst (and shortest) outing of the season but still managed to win his fifth consecutive decision despite giving up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits over five innings. Sale has been reached for 10 runs in his last two outings and has not recorded 10 Ks in either following a streak of eight consecutive starts with double-digits in strikeouts. However, he has not lost since April 27, going 5-0 in his last six starts (team is 5-1), a stretch that began with an 11-strikeout performance over eight innings against Baltimore on May 2. In his career, Sale is 2-3 with a 2.92 ERA against Baltimore (teams are 3-3 in his six starts). Tillman is also coming off a rocky and abbreviated outing, lasting only 2 2/3 innings while yielding five runs on seven hits (three HRs) in an 8-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Memorial Day. Tillman missed the first five weeks of the 2017 season due to shoulder bursitis issues and remains in search of some consistency. However, he has an 11-3 record with a 2.95 ERA, against the Red Sox (team is 13-7 in those 20 starts), the most wins he's recorded versus another opponent.

The pick: That said, I'm not sure Tillman's history against Boston is all that relevant in this contest, as Tillman's lasted just 23 innings in his five 2017 starts, allowing 32 hits with only a 16-11 KW ratio. That leaves him with a 1.87 WHIP and .323 BAA against, to go along with his 5.87 ERA. I'll make Boston an 8* play.