Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2013 ) Baltimore 1, Tampa Bay 5

With the American League wild-card race intensifying by the day, the Tampa Bay Rays are forced to give the ball to a 22-year-old prospect Sunday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Enny Romero, a youngster who made all but one of his 28 starts this season at Double-A Montgomery, is being recalled to make the fill-in start. Jeremy Hellickson, the original scheduled starter, worked 2 1/3 frames for the win in Friday's series-opening 18-inning marathon.

Tampa Bay followed up a victory in that lengthy contest with a 5-1 win Saturday to maintain its hold on the first wild-card spot. Baltimore fell 3 1/2 games behind Cleveland for the second wild-card position with its loss, the ninth in its last 11 meetings with the Rays. The Orioles have scored six runs in 36 innings during a three-game losing streak.

TV: 1:40 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Scott Feldman (12-10, 3.49 ERA) vs. Rays LH Enny Romero (NR)

Feldman's innings pitched have fallen from nine to 7 2/3 to five in his last three starts, while his walk totals have climbed from one to two to six in an uneven outing Tuesday at Boston. However, he has allowed fewer than two earned runs in five of his last seven turns. Feldman is 4-2 with a 2.13 ERA in his career versus Tampa Bay.

Romero joined the Rays organization in 2008 at the age of 17. He was 11-7 with a 2.61 ERA in 27 starts at the Double-A level this season and threw eight scoreless frames in his only outing with Triple-A Durham. The Dominican Republic native allowed just nine home runs in 148 1/3 innings on the season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay on Saturday traded LHP Frank De Los Santos to the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named or cash considerations, a deal that opened up a spot on the 40-man roster for Romero.

2. Rays CF Desmond Jennings is 4-for-7 with a home run, a triple, a double and four RBIs in the first two games of the series.

3. Baltimore is 23-16 on the road following a loss.

PREDICTION: Orioles 5, Rays 4