Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2014 ) Baltimore 7, Tampa Bay 5

While major league home run leader Nelson Cruz has cooled off in June, his Baltimore Orioles teammate Chris Davis is warming up with five blasts in his last 13 games. Davis looks to stay hot as the Orioles visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon for the rubber match of a three-game series. Cruz has been stuck on 21 homers for the last 14 contests and Davis, who led the majors with 53 blasts in 2013, belted a grand slam in the 7-5 victory over the Rays on Tuesday.

Davis had two homers in his first 27 games this season and has slammed 10 since mid-May, but is batting only .225, and Cruz still leads the majors in RBIs (57). Evan Longoria owns a six-game hitting streak for the Rays, who have won four of those contests. Tampa Bay is 21-13 when its starting pitcher works at least six innings and hopes to get a second straight strong outing from Alex Cobb.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET; MASN (Baltimore), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (2-1, 3.71 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (2-4, 3.99)

Gausman has allowed two runs over 13 innings to win his last two starts after struggling in his first of the season against Detroit. The 23-year-old LSU product finished 3-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 2013, mostly out of the bullpen, and gave up eight runs in 5 1/3 innings in two outings versus Tampa Bay. Ben Zobrist (4-for-4) and Yunel Escobar (3-for-3) have given Gausman problems.

Cobb snapped a three-game losing streak with a solid outing at Houston last Friday, yielding one run over 6 1/3 innings with a season-high 11 strikeouts. The Boston native is 3-0 lifetime – 2-0 in two starts last season – with a 1.73 ERA in four outings (three starts) against the Orioles. Manny Machado (0-for-10) has struggled against Cobb, who has 45 strikeouts and 13 walks in 47 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore has turned a major league-high 84 double plays and the Rays are last with only 37.

2. Zobrist has 10 hits in 28 at-bats over his last seven contests to raise his average to .256.

3. The Orioles are 18-12 against American League East opponents, the best record in the division.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Orioles 0