Game 2: Oakland - Jose Outman (0-0, 0.00) Baltimore - Daniel Cabrera (8-8, 5.24)

(Sports Network) - Rookie left-hander Josh Outman makes his first major-league start today when the Oakland Athletics face the Baltimore Orioles in a scheduled doubleheader to close out a three-game series at Camden Yards.

Outman will start the second game for Oakland and face hard-throwing Daniel Cabrera, who's making his first appearance since he was issued a six-game suspension for throwing at Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees in late July.

Oakland's Greg Smith opposes Baltimore's Garrett Olson in the opener.

Outman, a 10th-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005, headed west in the trade that brought starter Joe Blanton to the Phillies earlier this season.

The St. Louis native, who'll turn 24 a week from Sunday, debuted on September 2 with two innings of scoreless two-hit relief in Oakland's 5-2 loss at Kansas City.

Outman went 7-4 with a 3.11 earned run average in 11 starts and 31 relief appearances in three different stops in the minors this year.

Cabrera, a 6-foot-9, 269-pound right-hander, has not pitched since August 24, when he was shelled for nine hits and seven runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Yankees.

In fact, he's been hit hard in three starts since his last triumph, allowing 26 hits and 16 runs in 13 2/3 innings.

The Dominican is two wins away from reaching double digits for the third time in his career and first time since 2005, when he was a 10-game winner.

He's 1-2 in three career starts against Oakland, posting a 10.50 ERA in 12 innings.

In the opener, Baltimore's Olson makes his second start since returning from a stint with Triple-A Norfolk.

He allowed six hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-4 loss at Boston on September 1, and allowed four hits and a run in 6 1/3 innings against the Athletics on May 5 -- his lone career meeting with Oakland.

Olson is winless in the majors since defeating Seattle, 10-5, on August 1.

For Oakland, Smith seeks both his first win since August 21 and to reverse a skid that's seen him lose seven times in his last 10 starts.

He's given up 17 hits and 13 runs in his last two outings, dropping verdicts to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Minnesota while tossing 11 innings.

He has never faced the Orioles.

On Friday, Dallas Braden and the Oakland bullpen held down the Baltimore offense, while the Athletics finally took advantage of suspect pitching in an 11-2 rout.

Braden (5-3) allowed just two runs -- one earned -- on four hits in five innings, while Jerry Blevins, Joey Devine, Keith Foulke and Brad Ziegler combined to throw four scoreless relief innings in the win.

Rajai Davis hit his first career grand slam, as Oakland halted its four-game skid behind a mere seven hits. Jack Hannahan and Eric Patterson were each credited with two RBI.

Baltimore rookie Chris Waters (2-2) took the loss after serving up three runs on five hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings of work. Lou Montanez was 2- for-3, driving in a run and scoring for the Orioles, who have dropped seven straight affairs.

Before the game, the Orioles exercised manager Dave Trembley's 2009 option with an added team option in 2010.

Oakland swept a three-game series from the O's in early May.