Rays at Orioles
The Tampa Bay Rays nearly dug out of the deep hole they put themselves in to begin the season, but a less than inspiring start to May has them hoping another prolonged skid is not forthcoming. The Rays should get a good chance to snap a three-game losing streak against the team with the second-worst record in the American League on Friday when they visit the Baltimore Orioles for the opener of a four-game set.
Tampa Bay (15-19) twice fell nine games below .500 in mid-April before an eight-game winning streak - including a two-game sweep at Baltimore - powered the team to within one game of the break-even mark. The Rays are 3-6 since and their offense was of little help during their just-completed 2-3 homestand, as Tampa Bay mustered only three runs while going 3-for-21 with runners in scoring position over the final three contests after totaling 11 runs in back-to-back victories. Baltimore (10-27) is as hot as it has been all season, beating Kansas City in back-to-back games in its last series to notch consecutive wins for only the second time in 2018 (April 5-6 versus the New York Yankees). The Orioles are coming off an 11-6 victory against the Royals in which they homered three times and finished with seven extra-base hits while posting a season-best run total.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jake Faria (3-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (2-2, 3.30)
Faria improved to 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA over his last five outings with a win versus Toronto on Saturday, permitting only a solo homer among the three hits he allowed in 5 1/3 frames. The 24-year-old has given up one run or fewer in five of his seven turns overall and is holding hitters to a .206 average, including a .173 mark against left-handers. Adam Jones is 5-for-12 with a home run against Faria, who is 1-0 with a 4.78 ERA in five appearances (four starts) versus Baltimore.
Gausman became the first Baltimore pitcher to throw nine scoreless innings and not get a win since 2011 in Saturday's no-decision at Oakland, yielding only two singles while striking out six. The Colorado native has produced quality starts in four of his last five outings and posted a 2.26 ERA in his last six turns after getting tagged for six runs across four frames in his season debut. Gausman went 2-1 and allowed a total of one run in three starts spanning 20 innings versus the Rays last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays C Wilson Ramos is riding a 16-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the majors and three shy of tying the club record.
2. Jones is 10-for-25 with two homers, four RBIs and six runs scored during a six-game hitting streak that has lifted his batting average from .230 to .258.
3. Tampa Bay SS Adeiny Hechavarria is expected to start Friday after sitting out Wednesday with a left eye contusion.