Chen Looks For Continued Success Against Seattle
(AP) -- Nelson Cruz had a successful return to Baltimore but couldn't lift the Seattle Mariners to a win in the series opener.
Cruz will try again to beat his former team Wednesday night while the Orioles' Wei-Yin Chen attempts to extend his recent success against Seattle.
Cruz received a warm welcome Tuesday in his first game against the Orioles since leaving them after one season. Cruz, who led the majors with 40 home runs in 2014, hit his major league-leading 16th homer with two on in the third to give the Mariners (17-21) a 4-1 lead.
The Orioles (17-19), however, rallied for a 9-4 victory, their second in a row following a 3-8 stretch.
"It was nice, but I wish we would have played well enough to win the game," said Cruz, who has 33 RBIs and a .347 average. "It's a shame."
Jimmy Paredes provided a two-run homer and a two-run single, giving him a career high for RBIs, in Baltimore's sixth win in the past eight games against Seattle. Paredes is batting .346 with six homers, 22 RBIs and a .625 slugging percentage since returning from a strained lower back April 18.
"I think he likes it here, and he knows we like what he brings," manager Buck Showalter said of his designated hitter, who was acquired by Baltimore on July 24 after playing for Kansas City and Houston.
Chen (1-2, 2.53 ERA) will try to deliver another victory with another superb performance versus the Mariners, losers of seven of eight on the road. The left-hander went 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA in two starts against Seattle in 2014 and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last six outings.
He took a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, allowing two runs in seven-plus innings while striking out seven in his first defeat in four starts.
"He's gone through some pretty good periods for us where he's been pretty consistent," Showalter said. "He's in a pretty good place."
Roenis Elias (0-1, 3.24) went 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts against Baltimore in 2014 and is coming off one of his most effective outings this season. He yielded one run in 6 1-3 innings Thursday against Boston but did not get a decision in a 2-1 loss.
Elias has received six runs of support over 25 innings in four starts.
"He pitched a great game," manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "That's his fourth game in a row where he pitched and deserved to get the win. And he didn't get the win. But he was outstanding."
Cruz has gone 1 for 6 lifetime against his former teammate Chen. Kyle Seager has fared even worse at 1 for 17 but is 7 for 19 (.368) in his last five games.
Manny Machado is 3 for 5 against Elias while Adam Jones, batting .354 at Camden Yards this season, is 0 for 6.
