AP Sports Preview Cubs at Orioles BALTIMORE (Interstat) — The Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles meet Wednesday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, with the first-place Cubs looking to build on a three-game winning streak. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. EDT under partly cloudy skies and 79 degrees. Chicago (50-40) holds the National League Central lead and already has taken the opener of this two-game interleague series, winning 1-0 Tuesday. The Cubs will send right-hander Javier Assad to the mound. Assad is 4-0 in his last four starts, though his most recent outing Sunday against St. Louis was abbreviated: 4 2/3 innings, two hits, no earned runs, two strikeouts in a 6-4 victory. He worked 6 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts June 12 at San Francisco and has shown durability, though he lasted only 2 2/3 innings June 30 against San Diego, allowing 4 earned runs. Baltimore (42-49) sits fourth in the American League East and has lost four of its last five. The Orioles counter with right-hander Kyle Bradish, who has been erratic. Bradish took a hard-luck loss Sunday at Cincinnati, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits over 7 2/3 innings with 5 strikeouts in a 3-2 defeat. That followed a 4-inning, 3-earned-run outing June 28 against Washington. His best recent start came June 22 at the Los Angeles Angels, when he threw 8 scoreless innings with 9 strikeouts in a 6-1 win. The Cubs’ offense has been explosive, scoring 23 runs July 1 against San Diego. They also have posted wins of 9-7 and 3-2 in that series. Chicago has won seven of its last 10. Baltimore’s bats have struggled for consistency. The Orioles managed just one run in the series opener Tuesday against Cubs pitching. Their last win was an 8-5 decision July 4 at Cincinnati. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-4 Cubs victory. After this two-game set, Chicago travels to Cincinnati for a weekend series. Baltimore returns home to host Kansas City.