Tampa Bay @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2013 ) Baltimore 10, Tampa Bay 7
Chris Tillman has become the ace of the Baltimore Orioles, but he has yet to get a handle on the American League East rival Tampa Bay Rays. Two of Tillman’s three losses this season have come against the Rays, who face the right-hander Monday in the first of an important three-game series at Baltimore. Tillman has suffered only one loss since dropping a 3-1 decision to Tampa Bay on May 19 and opposes David Price, who is 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA since July 1.
Evan Longoria is 8-for-18 with two homers over the last five contests as Tampa Bay moved within one game of Boston in the AL East. The Orioles won their last two after dropping four straight and stand three games behind Oakland for the second AL wild card spot. Chris Davis has 15 of his 115 RBIs against the Rays in 12 starts.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SunSports (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (6-5, 3.28 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (14-3, 3.70)
Price allowed four runs in his last start against Seattle and only a pair over 16 innings in his previous two, but did not receive a decision. The reigning AL Cy Young winner yielded only 15 runs (14 earned) in nine starts since coming off the disabled list in early July with 51 strikeouts and three walks. Matt Wieters is 10-for-32 with a homer against Price, who is 6-2 in 14 career starts versus Baltimore with a 2.60 ERA.
Tillman did not get a decision in his last two starts, despite giving up only three runs in 14 innings. The 25-year-old is 2-5 with a 4.77 ERA in 10 career appearances against the Rays, going 1-2 this season while surrendering five homers in 17 innings. Longoria is 9-for-21 with three homers against Tillman, who has won 22 of his last 27 career decisions.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay scored 42 runs combined to defeat the Orioles five of the last six games. The Rays are 7-5 overall against them in 2013.
2. Baltimore SS J.J. Hardy, who has 22 homers, was rested the last two days due to back spasms and could return Monday.
3. Rays SS Yunel Escobar has hit safely in all but one game during August. He is 21-for-60 in his last 17 contests overall.
PREDICTION: Rays 4, Orioles 1