Preview: Orioles at Nationals WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Washington Nationals will aim for a series sweep Sunday afternoon when they host the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. EDT under clear skies with temperatures near 83 degrees. The Nationals (23-23) have taken the first two games of the Beltway Series, winning 3-2 on Friday and pounding the Orioles 13-3 on Saturday. A victory Sunday would push Washington above .500 for the first time this season. Baltimore (20-26) will send right-hander Brandon Young (3-1, 4.10 ERA) to the mound. Young has been one of the Orioles’ more reliable starters, but he faces a Washington lineup that scored 16 runs in the first two games of the series. Washington will counter with right-hander Cade Cavalli (4-2, 3.88 ERA), who delivered a strong outing Saturday against these same Orioles, allowing three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts in the 13-3 win. Players to watch For Baltimore, right-hander Chris Bassitt has been inconsistent in recent outings. He took the loss Saturday, allowing four earned runs over five innings. In his last five starts, Bassitt has a 4-1 record but a 4.33 ERA, and opponents have hit .292 against him. He will not pitch Sunday but remains a key figure in Baltimore’s rotation heading into their upcoming series at Tampa Bay. For Washington, catcher Keibert Ruiz has been red-hot at the plate. He went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs in Saturday’s win and is hitting .325 over his last seven games with three homers and 11 RBIs in that span. Ruiz has been a consistent run producer for a Nationals offense that has averaged 6.4 runs per game over its last five contests. Recent history Washington has won five of its last seven games overall and has outscored Baltimore 16-5 in the first two games of this series. Baltimore, meanwhile, has lost four of its last five and has been outscored 22-12 in that stretch. Betting and projections Baltimore enters as a -1.5 run-line favorite, according to oddsmakers, but Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Washington victory. The over/under is set at 10 runs. The Orioles will travel to Tampa Bay on Monday to begin a three-game series with the Rays. The Nationals will open a four-game home set Monday against the New York Mets.