Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2018 ) Baltimore 2, Tampa Bay 14

Kevin Kiermaier hopes to put together one strong month in an otherwise dismal season at the plate, and he is off to a good start in September as his Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles for the second of a three-game set Saturday. Kiermaier is 9-for-16 with three homers and seven RBIs in five games this month to raise his batting average to .217 after belting a three-run blast Friday in a 14-2 victory - their ninth straight at home.

Rookie Nicholas Ciuffo homered in his first major-league at-bat in his home park while knocking in four runs, Ji-Man Choi launched a grand slam and Tommy Pham also smacked a solo shot to extend his hitting streak to 11 games for red-hot Tampa Bay. The Rays will open Saturday’s contest with reliever Diego Castillo on the mound and fellow right-hander David Hess, who suffered an eye injury after getting hit with a football thrown by a teammate before Friday’s game, is still expected to be able to go for Baltimore. The Orioles reached 100 losses Friday for the first time since 1988 and have dropped six of their last seven to fall behind 9-8 in the season series. Outfielder Joey Rickard continues to his hot hitting against the team that drafted him as he homered Friday and is 13-for-30 with four blasts along with 17 RBIs versus the Rays this year.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH David Hess (3-9, 5.27 ERA) vs. Rays RH Diego Castillo (3-2, 3.48)

Hess could not follow up one of his best major-league starts, getting pounded for five runs (four earned) on nine hits over four innings in a loss to Kansas City on Sunday. The 25-year-old Tennessee native had been solid in his last four starts of August, including six scoreless innings to beat Toronto on Aug. 27. Matt Duffy is 4-for-9 with a homer and four RBIs versus Hess, who is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Rays in 2018.

Castillo opens a game for the fifth time this season and is coming off two dominant innings of relief Tuesday when he struck out four over two perfect innings. The 24-year-old Dominican Republic native yielded three runs over two innings in a start at Atlanta on Aug. 29 but has posted nine scoreless outings in his last 10 appearances. Chris Davis homered earlier this season off Castillo, who has given up two runs in two innings against Baltimore in 2018.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore CF Adam Jones, who is batting .386 versus the Rays this year, is expected back in the lineup after being rested in the series opener.

2. Tampa Bay INF Joey Wendle had a double and scored twice Friday, making him 22-for-63 against the Orioles this season.

3. Orioles INF Jonathan Villar is 8-for-26 with two homers and four RBIs during his current six-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Orioles 3