Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2010 ) Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 0
Brian Matusz is envisioned as the future ace of the Baltimore Orioles, but the 23-year-old left-hander is currently battling consistency issues.
The fourth overall pick of the 2008 draft will look to build on back-to-back splendid outings on Saturday when he pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second contest of a three-game series.
At times, Matusz is a hurler beyond his years and flashes his immense potential. His last two outings fall into that category as he yielded a total of two runs and 10 hits in 12 innings of work against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Chicago White Sox.
Other times, he’s off his game and easily knocked around. Take his last four starts of July when he lasted just 13 innings and made it past the fourth inning just once. Matusz gave up 18 runs, 19 hits and 13 walks during that span for an ugly 12.46 ERA.
As for the start prior to the rough spell? You got it, Matusz struck out eight while throwing seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball while beating the Boston Red Sox on July 4.
Overall, the promising lefty has a 4-11 record and 5.08 ERA. He has a 2-0 mark in three career starts against Tampa Bay.
Slumping Evan Longoria will look to get back on track against Matusz, a pitcher he’s experienced either feast or famine against. Longoria is 3-for-8 with two doubles against Matusz but also has struck out four times.
Longoria went 0-for-4 in Friday’s opening game of the series to see his post All-Star break average drop to .235. He has more strikeouts (25) than hits (24) since being the American League’s starting third baseman in the Midsummer Classic.
Baltimore won the opener, 5-0, as the trio of Luke Scott, Felix Pie and Adam Jones continued to wreak havoc offensively.
Scott went 3-for-3 with a homer for his seventh multi-hit game of the month. Scott is hitting .391 with five homers in August.
Pie is hitting .391 since July 31 after going 3–for-4, and Jones is now batting .400 over his past 13 games after a 2-for-4 effort that included two RBIs. Jones has eight multiple-hit games during that span.
Andy Sonnanstine will attempt to cool down the Baltimore trio when he makes his second start of the season. That could be a tough task when it comes to Jones, who is 5-for-8 with two homers and two doubles against Sonnanstine.
Sonnanstine moved into the rotation because of shoulder injuries to Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis and gave up one run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays last Sunday.
Sonnanstine (2-1, 3.98 ERA) made 30 relief appearances this season before being pressed into the starting role. He has a 2-4 record with a 6.80 ERA in 11 career appearances (eight starts) against Baltimore.
The Rays could have pitched ace David Price on Saturday but have opted to give their All-Star lefty additional rest. Price will start Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers.