Tampa Bay @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jun 25, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 8
The Baltimore Orioles look to continue their torrid stretch with the bats when they pursue a four-game sweep of the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon. The American League East-leading Orioles rallied from 4-0 and 6-3 deficits to hand Tampa Bay its season-high 10th straight loss on Saturday night and win for the fourth consecutive time.
Baltimore has posted 19 runs in the series with six homers – two each from red-hot Adam Jones and Matt Wieters – and totaled 14 hits in the comeback victory Saturday night to clinch a doubleheader sweep. Jonathan Schoop boasts an eight-game hitting streak, Jones has hit safely in the last seven and Manny Machado is 13-for-26 in his last six contests for the Orioles, who are 30-13 at home. The Rays have lost 10 in a row for the first time since 2014 and have been outscored 60-24 during the losing streak. Drew Smyly, who is unbeaten in his career against Baltimore, will take the mound for Tampa Bay on Sunday to try and end the slide.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Drew Smyly (2-7, 4.78 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Tyler Wilson (3-5, 4.19)
Smyly is winless over his six starts, allowing nine homers in that span, and has permitted at least four runs in four of his last five outings. The Arkansas product is 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA in eight career games against the Orioles, but missed them in each of the two previous series the teams played earlier this season. Chris Davis is 2-for-16 with 10 strikeouts versus Smyly, but both hits were solo home runs.
Wilson gave up three runs on nine hits over six innings Tuesday against San Diego after pitching eight scoreless innings to beat Boston on June 16. The 26-year-old, who has allowed 72 hits in 73 innings, is 0-4 with a 4.93 ERA in eight home games (six starts) this season. Wilson gave up six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings last year in his only turn against the Rays and suffered the loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay 1B Logan Morrison is 6-for-13 with a pair of RBIs in the series.
2. Wieters is 10-for-20 with three homers and nine RBIs in his last six contests.
3. The Rays activated RHP Ryan Webb from the disabled list Saturday and optioned RHP Tyler Sturdevant to Triple-A Durham.
PREDICTION: Rays 6, Orioles 4