The Baltimore Orioles are looking to turn a tough stretch into a distant memory as they head into Thursday night's matchup against the Miami Marlins, aiming for a clean sweep at loanDepot park. First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET, and all eyes will be on left-hander Cade Povich as he takes the mound for the Birds.
After a brutal four-game sweep in the Bronx where they were outscored 39-10, the O's have found their groove again in Miami. Tuesday's 9-7 win and Wednesday's 7-5 victory represent two of their nine biggest offensive outputs this season, proving that sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery to get the bats going.
At the heart of this offensive resurgence is Pete Alonso, who seems to relish facing his former NL East rivals. Over the first two games, Alonso is 3-for-8 with two doubles, a home run, and five RBIs. The star first baseman is currently riding a seven-game hit streak, slashing an impressive .360/.448/.880 with three homers during that span.
For the Orioles to complete the sweep and inch closer to .500, they'll need a stronger outing from Povich than his last start against the Yankees, where he surrendered five runs over four innings while giving up two home runs. Thursday marks Povich's first career start against the Marlins, and he'll look to improve on his 5.09 ERA in 11 career appearances against National League opponents.
Standing opposite Povich is Marlins right-hander Max Meyer, the former first-round pick who's coming off the best start of his career. Last time out, Meyer threw seven innings of shutout ball against the Phillies, allowing just one hit while striking out seven. Like Povich, Meyer will be facing an opponent for the first time, and his track record against American League teams is shaky—a 6.60 ERA with seven home runs allowed in six starts.
A sweep tonight would mark Baltimore's second of the season, following their sweep of the White Sox in Chicago last month. The Orioles have already clinched the season series against Miami for the first time since 2023 after winning the last two nights—and a win tonight would make it a clean sweep worth celebrating.