Tampa Bay @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 1, Baltimore 9
After an uncharacteristic weekend sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the Baltimore Orioles made it clear their offense is just fine. The Orioles look to build off a five-homer explosion when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in the second contest of their four-game series. Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb tries to extend his career-high winning streak to eight games after Baltimore collected 14 hits in a 9-1 triumph on Monday that allowed it to maintain its six-game lead in the American League East.
The Orioles managed a total of only four runs and 13 hits in three straight losses to the Cubs, but Nick Markakis snapped an 0-for-21 slump with a two-run homer to ignite the offense Monday. Adam Jones has been the steadiest force for Baltimore, recording at least two hits in five of his last eight contests. Tampa Bay has lost six of its last nine games and is only 4-9 against the Orioles in 2014.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Cobb (9-6, 3.01 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (13-4, 3.76)
Cobb has been especially strong in his last six starts, allowing only four runs and 30 hits over 41 innings while not surrendering a homer. The 26-year-old is 4-1 (1-1 this season) with a 1.89 ERA in six career starts against Baltimore, with the only defeat coming on June 18 as he permitted one unearned run in seven frames. J.J. Hardy is 5-for-15 with two walks against Cobb in his career.
Chen has won six of seven decisions over his last eight starts while posting a 2.98 ERA in that span. The Taiwan native struggled in his last outing against the Rays on June 28, yielding five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings, and is 3-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 11 lifetime starts against them. Ben Zobrist is 11-for-30 with a homer versus Chen, who has 109 strikeouts and 25 walks over 143 2/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore 1B-OF Steve Pearce has hit four of his career-high 15 homers this season against the Rays.
2. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria, who was robbed of a three-run homer by Jones on Monday, has collected 12 RBIs in his last 11 games.
3. The Orioles are 16-5 in their last 21 home games and have outscored opponents 105-62 in those contests.
PREDICTION: Rays 6, Orioles 1