Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 2, 2013 ) Baltimore 7, Tampa Bay 4
The formula that served the Baltimore Orioles so well last year - ending a string of 14 straight losing seasons - was displayed prominently on Opening Day. Chris Davis and Matt Wieters slammed home runs and Baltimore's bullpen went into lock-down mode once the Orioles took the lead in a 7-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. Baltimore will look to make it two in a row Wednesday in the middle game of the three-game set.
Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price was not especially sharp in the opener for Tampa Bay, giving up two runs in the first inning, but persevered through six innings and left with the lead. The Rays' bullpen is expected to be one of the team's strengths, but Jake McGee was pounded for five runs in two-thirds of an inning. The three-run blast by Davis was the first homer allowed by McGee since July 18.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (2012: 12-11, 4.02 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (10-11, 3.10)
Chen was having an outstanding rookie campaign until tailing off in the last five weeks. He went 0-4 in his last seven starts, although he allowed three earned runs or fewer five times in that stretch and rebounded to beat the New York Yankees in his only postseason start. He made five starts against Tampa Bay, going 1-3 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 33 1/3 innings. Three of those outings came after Aug. 1, including seven scoreless innings of five-hit ball at Tropicana Field.
Hellickson steps into the No. 2 starter role vacated by the off-season trade of James Shields, who had worked 200 innings for six straight seasons. The inability to pitch deep into games has been one of the few knocks on Hellickson, who managed to get through seven innings only twice in his last 21 starts in 2012. Hellickson has seen plenty of the Orioles in his two-plus seasons, logging a 6-3 record and 2.30 ERA in 12 appearances - 11 starts - while holding Baltimore batters to a .204 average.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles closer Jim Johnson has posted 10 of his 73 career saves against the Rays.
2. Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist homered Tuesday - his 13th in 85 games against Baltimore.
3. Orioles CF Adam Jones went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs in the opener.
PREDICTION: Rays 4, Orioles 2