Rays at Orioles (Game 2)
The Baltimore Orioles have put together a season-high three-game winning streak with offense taking the lead and look to extend the run when they host the Tampa Bay Rays for a doubleheader Saturday. Manny Machado launched a two-run homer and a grand slam Friday as the Orioles recorded a 9-4 victory in the series opener, giving them 32 runs over the last four contests.
Machado owns three homers and eight RBIs in the past two contests, while teammate Adam Jones takes a seven-game hitting streak into Saturday and Mark Trumbo - batting .325 in 10 outings since returning from the disabled list - belted his first home run of the season Friday. The Rays have lost four straight and are just 3-7 since building a season-best eight-game winning streak after giving up seven runs in Baltimore’s last three at-bats during the series opener. Tampa Bay catcher Wilson Ramos singled Friday to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, two short of the franchise record set by Jason Bartlett in 2009. The Rays are 7-10 on the road after dropping three in a row away from home and have scored just seven times during their four-game slide.
TV: 6:35 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Matt Andriese (0-1, 3.92 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Alex Cobb (0-4, 7.61)
Andriese makes his second start of the season after yielding one run over his last six appearances, covering 12 innings combined. The 28-year-old California native limited Boston to two hits over 3 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts April 29 in his only other start of 2018 and has fanned 24 in 20 2/3 frames overall. Chris Davis is 5-for-13 with a pair of homers versus Andriese, who is 1-4 with a 6.08 ERA in eight games (four starts) against Baltimore.
Cobb has posted two straight quality starts - his first two with the team - while allowing three earned runs and 12 hits over 12 innings, but the Orioles are still winless with him on the mound. The 30-year-old Boston native has struck out seven in his last two outings after fanning none and permitting five runs across 4 2/3 innings April 25 in an 8-4 setback against Tampa Bay. Joey Wendle went 2-for-3 in that contest against Cobb, who spent 2011-2017 with the Rays.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay SS Adeiny Hechavarria had two hits Friday, including a double, after missing one game due to an eye injury.
2. Baltimore placed RHP Chris Tillman (lower back strain) on the 10-day disabled list Friday and recalled RHP Jimmy Yacabonis.
3. The Rays recalled LHP Anthony Banda, acquired this offseason in the Steven Souza trade, to be the 26th man for the doubleheader.