Rays at Orioles
The
Baltimore Orioles came into the weekend tied with Tampa Bay atop the
American League East, but they have opened up a two-game lead by posting
a pair of narrow victories against the slumping Rays. Baltimore rallied
for a 4-3 win in Friday’s series opener and held on for a 5-3 triumph
Saturday, capitalizing on five Tampa Bay errors. The Rays have come back
to the pack over the past week, dropping six of their last seven games.
Tampa
Bay owns the best home record in baseball this season (13-3), but their
7-11 mark in road games is the worst among AL East teams. Baltimore has
been carried by a powerful lineup that leads the major leagues with 54
home runs. Center fielder Adam Jones has been the driving force, leading
the Orioles in batting average (.294), home runs (10) and RBIs (21).
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH James Shields (5-1, 3.23 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jake Arrieta (2-3, 4.23)
Shields
has again proven to be one of the most durable pitchers in the American
League, going at least six innings in each of his last six starts while
posting a 2.34 ERA and collecting 40 strikeouts against 12 walks. He is
coming off his first loss of the season May 8 at New York (six innings,
four hits, three runs). Shields is 8-5 with a 3.45 ERA in 21 lifetime
starts against Baltimore.
Arrieta is enjoying his best season to
date, posting career bests in WHIP (1.07), opponent batting average
(.228) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (36:10). He had a rough go of it in
his last start, giving up six runs in a May 8 loss to Texas, but has
also turned in scoreless efforts of seven and eight innings. Against the
Rays, Arrieta is 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA in four starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Orioles are 12-5 against the American League East, winning their last seven games against division foes.
2.
Excluding injured third baseman Evan Longoria, the Rays are a combined
9-for-41 (.220) against Arrieta. Left fielder Matt Joyce is 3-for-7 with
a home run and a pair of walks.
3. Baltimore hitters are
batting a combined .275 (58-for-211) against Shields, with Jones
(12-for-31, five doubles, triple, homer, four RBIs) having the most
consistent success.