Rays at Orioles
The Tampa Bay Rays have allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of the first 23 games and could add another when red-hot Chris Archer takes the mound against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. Five pitchers limited the offensively-gifted Orioles to four hits in Friday’s 2-0 victory for the Rays in the opener of a three-game series that was moved to Tampa Bay due to public unrest in Baltimore.
Archer has not permitted an unearned run in his last four starts and won three of those outings after starting the season with a loss against Baltimore. The Orioles posted 42 runs combined in five games before arriving in Tampa Bay and had won three straight, but slugger Chris Davis and Alejandro De Aza each owned three of the team’s 13 strikeouts Friday. Delmon Young boasts a five-game hit streak for Baltimore, which is among the major league leaders in runs scored (112) and homers (29). Miguel Gonzalez, who lost the Rays in the third game of the season, opposes Archer.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (3-2, 0.84 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (2-1, 3.42)
Archer gave up four runs (three earned) over 5 2/3 innings in the season opener versus the Orioles and is 1-3 lifetime against them with a 5.58 ERA in six appearances (five starts). The North Carolina native has raised his level since then and is among the major league leaders in ERA, WHIP (0.74), strikeouts (37) and batting average against (.159). Steve Pearce has homered twice in five at-bats against Archer, who has allowed 12 hits combined in his last four starts.
Gonzalez permitted two runs over 12 2/3 innings in his first two starts, including the 2-0 loss to the Rays, and gave up seven in his last two outings that encompassed 11 frames. The 30-year-old Mexican surrendered one run over 5 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and five walks against the Rays on April 8. Desmond Jennings, who could return from a knee injury Saturday, is 6-for-25 with four homers versus Gonzalez - 4-4 in 12 all-time starts against Tampa Bay with a 3.82 ERA.
WALK OFFS
1. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria, who knocked in his fifth run of the season Friday, is 15-for-35 over his last nine contests.
2. Baltimore CF Adam Jones is batting .380 overall, but is just 1-for-15 against Tampa Bay pitching in four games.
3. Rays RHP Brad Boxberger has struck out 16 – including three for his sixth save Friday – in 10 1/3 innings this season.